Princess of the Keyblade
by Khgirl08
Summary: This has been put on a hiatus. If you really want to read more, tell me, but for a while this is it.
1. Ellie

Princess of the Keyblade

By:Khgirl08

Khgirl08: Hey!

Ellie: Hi!

Khgirl08: What? Why are you here?

Ellie:Making sure you don't make THIS story as bad as the last one. You know, the one NOBODY reviewed?

Khgirl08: -rolls eyes- whatever, Ellie. Just get on with the disclaimer, would you?

Ellie: Khgirl08 does not own Kingdom Hearts or any other big names in this story. She does own me, though, so you'd better beware!

Khgirl08: -muffles Ellie- Just ignore her and enjoy the chapter!

* * *

"Are we there yet?"

"Almost, Ellie, we're almost there."

"I still don't understand why you can't just tell me where we're going, Mother. Why won't you tell me?"

"Ellie, we don't have time to argue right now. Just hurry, please."

A sudden pop, and a figure in a dark cloak appeared in front of the pair.

"Now, now, Rebecca, you didn't actually think you would get away that easily, did you?" he chuckled in a sinister voice. "We have unfinished business, if you remember."

Rebecca drew herself up, seeming much taller than her petite 5'0. "I have no business with you, sir. I am trying to take care of some things that should have been attended to many, many years ago, so if you would kindly step out of the way..."

The man chuckled again. "Of course I will, if you promise to come with me without a fight. Otherwise, I'm afraid we may not see eye to eye."

Rebecca laughed lightly. "I see. So this is what you choose." She turned to her teenage daughter, who was trembling at her side. "Elizabeth, you must go. Now."

"What? Mother, no! I won't leave you!"

"Allow me, Rebecca." The strange man whipped a stick out of a pocket of his robe, but Rebecca jumped in front of her daughter.

"No thank you, _sir_. Elizabeth, I'm not going to argue with you. I'm sorry."

"Mother!"

Rebecca conjured a stick from the waist band of her skirt and turned to her daughter. "Ellie, I love you."

Suddenly, the girl was in a black room, with no light except for that which radiated from a sword, a shield, and a staff that were displayed on three separate pedestals. "Hello?! Mother, where am I?"

_Choose one... Choose your destiny..._

The strange voice was oddly comforting, and the girl thought it important to obey. She walked straight to the majestic sword; it seemed to give off an aura of strength that far surpassed her own. as soon as she picked it up, she fell into a black hole of nothingness.

* * *

"Ah!" Ellie jolted awake, her sheets clinging to her sweating body and her eyes wide with fright. _That dream again..._She shook her head to clear it and blinked the remnants of sleep from her eyes. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she savored the last memory of her mother, however bittersweet and confusing it was. Just under two years ago, her mother had dragged her to the middle of the woods, and some strange man had appeared. Her own mother had turned on her and rendered her unconscious, and both her mother and the man had gone when she had come to. When she had found her way back to civilization again, the citizens of Maple Brook had organized a search party. For two straight weeks, the party had come back empty handed before they were finally forced to acknowledge the fact that Rebecca Mason had simply disappeared and would never be found. Ellie's grandmother had moved out of her modest apartment to keep her granddaughter company in the large house the Mason family had owned for years.

Ellie had been forced to move on with her life, even as the rest of Maple Brook gossipped behind their closed doors that she was the most pathetic thing they had ever known. _The poor child_, they whispered, _having both parents mysteriously disappear like that._ Eventually the memories of her mother's disappearance had faded away into a back corner of Ellie's mind, but then the dreams started. Around the previous Christmas, a year and a half after she officially became an orphan, she had dreamt of the curious events, and ever since then, she couldn't stop dwelling on her parents. Every brief reprieve from the strange dreams, every time she tried to forget them, they came back to haunt her, like a ghost seeking revenge.

Ellie blinked hard, successfully stopping the tears forming in her emerald eyes from streaking down her cheeks in tiny rivulets, and pushed her sheets off of her legs. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed and looked at the digital clock on her nightstand. It was blinking midnight, meaning the power had gone out again. _Probably another storm offshore..._ she thought as she stood and stepped lightly to the large picture window across the room. When she opened the blue curtains, she was almost blinded by bright sunlight and a cerulean sky_. Or not_.

The city of Maple Brook was displayed before her. The mothers were just dragging their families out the doors of their houses and apartments for a day of excitement and thrills at the local mega mall or the seaside markets, whereas the businessmen were already making their ways to the downtown area, where they would "strive to improve the economy of Maple Brook", or find new ways to exploit each other out of another couple hundred munny. The sidewalks were filled with elderly couples walking their dogs and teenagers on skateboards displayed their talents on the side streets, laughing at one another whenever they wrecked.

All in all, it was a beautiful scene, but it was so... boring. Maple Brook was such a small place, and no one Ellie knew of had ever ventured farther than the woods that bordered three sides of the city. She longed to explore the limits of the world, but had yet to actually leave and do so. Ellie sighed and tore her gaze away from the window just in time to see her bedroom door open. "Oh, Grandma Abbie! I didn't realize you were already awake. It's a beautiful day, isn't it?"

"Yes indeed! It is a gorgeous day, and you know what that means... Time to go to the market!" Looking and acting far younger than her seventy two years, Abigail Swallow was nothing like other grannys. Her twin feather gray braids and the laugh lines around her twinkling green eyes were the only things that gave away her advanced age. "I won't be gone long, Ellie. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that Robert called for you earlier. He said he'd be over sometime this morning, so you might want to get dressed soon. I love you!" With a flighty wave of her hand, Abbie was off. Ellie waited until she saw the bright red convertible roar into the distance before she opened her wardrobe.

"What to wear, what to wear..." Ellie often talked to herself when no one else was around, like many other people, but she also usually answered. "I think the shorts will work for today if I wear a tee shirt with them." She pulled a pair of short light blue jean shorts and a bright green shirt out off of their hangers. Quickly changing from her pajamas into these clothes, Ellie couldn't help but notice how thin she was. "This is ridiculous! I'm almost seventeen years old, but I look like I'm ten!" Like her mother and grandmother before her, Ellie was very petite. She barely hit the five foot mark, and she had to have extra small clothes for everything. Sometimes they still hung from her tiny frame. "It's not like I don't eat, but I can't gain weight! Agh, where'd I put that hairbrush?" Twirling around, she spotted the stray brush on her nightstand, a few strands of her long flame colored hair tangled in the bristles. "Aha! Thought you could hide from me, did you?" Ellie laughed and scooped the brush and a hair tie up before approaching the vanity beside her wardrobe. "I think just a ponytail will do the trick for today."

When her hair had been swept into the simple style, it swung past her shoulders in straight, gleaming locks. Her bangs were not so easy to deal with; they were to long to clip back properly, but way tooshort to be pulled into the ponytail. Sighing, she swept them behind one ear and studied her reflection in the mirror. Her brilliant green eyes sparkled in the natural sunlight, and her shirt made the color pop. Her bright red hair was accompanied by the traditional pale skin of a redhead, and her cheeks and nose were lightly dotted with freckles. Her cheekbones stood out just a little bit, but Ellie thought that they made her look skeletal. Underneath her shirt, her ribs were still showing, and her waist was incredibly tiny. She had no hips to speak of, and her bony knees jutted out ridiculously.

"_Stop being so stuck on yourself, Elizabeth; we all know you're gorgeous. You don't have to brag about it!_" That was what the girls at school always told her. She had yet to understand what they were talking about; first of all, she wasn't stuck on herself. She just didn't really talk to very many people at her all-girl's rich school. Secondly, she wasn't gorgeous; the other girls were all blond, tan and curvy, and they had long legs that peeked out from underneath their uniform skirts and made the guys in town drool. They were the gorgeous ones. "What guy would want to date a walking stick figure?" she muttered before standing up and leaving her room. When she reached the stairs, she noticed that none of the other clocks were unset; her grandmother must have already reset them.

The kitchen was bright and tidy as usual, but Ellie gasped when she saw the grungy figure reading the newspaper at the table. "Who- who are you?"

The figure jumped to his feet and smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Rebecca, baby; I thought you knew I was coming today. Don't you remember your old friend?"

"Er... No? And I'm not Rebecca."

"Excuse me? I think I know who I'm speaking to, and your name is Rebecca Swallow!" the man's dark eyes flashed dangerously, and Ellie barely had time to step aside before he was flinging himself towards her.

"No, I'm not! Who are you? And how do you know who my mother is?"

The man grasped her arm and his dark eyes bored intensely into her own. "Nice try, Rebecca! Look, I know last time we met didn't end so well, but that's the past, baby, and this is the present! We have the whole future ahead of us, and I still want to sweep you off your feet and take you outta here!" Before Ellie could react, the man had pushed her up against a wall while his eyes began to glow slightly yellow. Ellie's mind went fuzzy for a few seconds before her attention snapped back into gear.

"Get out of here!" she shouted before squirming out of his grasp and jumping away. "I am not Rebecca Swallow; I'm Ellie Mason, and you are not welcome in my house! Now go, before I call my boyfriend!" Ellie wasn't completely making up the boyfriend; Robert was a boy, and her best friend, but they weren't dating by any means. Yeah, maybe she felt a little something for him, but he thought of her as "one of the guys, only better."

The man stared at her for a moment before the yellow gleam faded from his eyes and he stood up straight. "I see. You want nothing to do with me. Fine." He spun on his heel and exited through the kitchen door. Ellie breathed a sigh of relief and sat down at the table, holding her head in her hands. It was true that she was almost a carbon copy of her mother, but everyone in Maple Brook knew that her mom hadn't been seen for almost two years. Besides, her mother would have been thirty eight in August, and Ellie was practically seveteen. Her mother didn't look old by any means, but she didn't look twenty one years younger at all.

"Hey Mason! Whatcha doing?" Ellie shrieked as a pair of warm hands began to massage her shoulders and neck. "Alright! Forgive me, didn't mean to hurt you!"

Ellie sighed in relief and turned around in her chair to smile at Robert. He stood at six foot three, and was extremely handsome. His body was all hard muscle and tan skin, and his big blue eyes twinkled at her beneath his gentle curls of longish dark brown hair. He was grinning, too, and his white teeth sparkled. "Sorry, Robert, I didn't hear you come in. I didn't mean to scream, but I just had a little scare."

He stopped smiling and walked around the table to sit across from her. When he folded his hands on the table and looked at her from underneath furrowed eyebrows, Ellie could barely contain her laughter. He looked just like his father, who was the only lawyer in Maple Brook and her 'adoptive' dad. "What happened? Tell me everything. You don't scare easily, Mason, so this must have been pretty bad."

Her smile faded, and she stared straight into his deep blue eyes. "Well, when I came downstairs this morning, this man was sitting here at the table, reading a newspaper. He stood up and kept calling me Rebecca, and insisted that I was definitely Rebecca Swallow. He kept saying how I should remember him, and that I should have known he was coming. He pushed me up against that wall, and told me how he still wanted to sweep me away from here forever."

Robert started slightly, but Ellie paid no heed. "Right after his eyes turned all yellow and weird, I told him off and got away from him, and then he left."

Robert shook his head as he stood up and opened the window that faced the street. Ellie couldn't help but stare. He had been around her for as long as she could remember, at first as an annoying older brother type figure, then as a face in the grade above her at elementary school, then as a best friend. She wasn't sure just when she had fallen in love with the eighteen year old boy, but she had fallen hard. "He took off about five minutes ago, but I didn't hear a car."

"I didn't see any strange vehicles from my place, either." He lived right across the street from her family, which probably explained why they were so close. "I wasn't necessarily looking for anything weird, though, so I could have missed him."

"Who knows? I'll probably never have to see him again, anyway. So, what are you doing today?"

Robert turned his sapphire eyes back to her. "Not too much, at least not outside. There's a storm blowing in during the next hour or two, according to the radar, and it's going to be a doozy."

Ellie frowned. "Darn. I was hoping we could go out to the cave."

"Well, maybe we can, if you don't mind getting drowned." The twinkle in his eyes betrayed his laughter, even though his mouth was grim.

Ellie laughed. "Of course I don't mind drowning! What better way to spend the afternoon?" Even as she laughed, a loud rumble of thunder drifted through the open window. The visible sky was still blue, but the sun had faded away and the huge maple trees in the yards were beginning to bend in the stiff wind.

The pair looked at each other for a split second before sprinting to the rear of the house and hurtling onto the screened-in back porch. The sky over the main part of the city was almost black, and the calm waves that had been lapping onto the beach just minutes ago were churning with white foam and sending the families of picnickers running for their minivans. Lightning was beginning to dash across the distant sky, but the long seconds between the flashes and the rumbles of thunder told that the storm was still several miles out to sea. Nevertheless, the roads coming from downtown were clogged with the cars and vans trying to make it to the safety of their homes before the storm hit.

Robert whistled through his teeth. "This is another one of those times when I'm thankful that I live on a really big hill with minimal flooding, and that my dad works mostly out of our house."

Ellie nodded and shivered as the wind picked up a notch and the air cooled considerably. "Brr! I think we need to get inside before the storm does hit." He nodded and rushed through the screen door, holding it open for Ellie while she slammed the heavy wooden door behind her.

"How long is it going to last, Robert?"

"The last forecast I heard said that it would continue until sometime tonight." Robert looked around and scratched his head. "Hey, where's Abbie? I thought she was going to be here all day."

Ellie groaned and slumped into an overstuffed chair. "The market! Grandma Abbie was going to the seaside market today. She should have been back by now!"

Robert sat on the arm of her chair and nodded. "Yeah, she should have been back by now, if she were anyone but Abbie. She's probably taking the absence of the crowd as a free for all shopping extravaganza. Don't worry, Mason, your grandmother is fine. She'll be home before the storm hits our hill, easily."

The two friends sat and waited in silence even when the rain began tapping out a rhythm on the roof of the old house. When the soft rapping grew so loud that Ellie couldn't hear her own thoughts, however, she couldn't sit still. "Robert, she's not home yet! Maybe her car stalled, or maybe she wrecked in the storm, or maybe she got washed out to sea, or maybe she got kidnapped, or maybe she-"

"MASON! Shut up!" Ellie blinked in surprise at Robert's outburst, especially considering that he looked more like he was laughing than exasperated. "Thank you. I know you're worried about Abbie. So am I, but we can't go out in this rain. Think about it logically; your grandma probably just pulled into someone's driveway and asked for shelter until the rain died down enough that she could see. If she's not back ten minutes after the rain dies down some, I'll help you look for her. Okay?"

Ellie nodded and jumped as he put one arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into a hug. "Look, Mason, I've gotta get out of here. Mom and Dad are probably freaking out. Do you want to come over and stay with us for a while?"

_Of course I would..._ she thought to herself as her mind conjured up an image of the two of them sitting in front of his massive fireplace, wrapped in a blanket while the storm raged around them. She shook her head rapidly to clear it and coughed. "Um, I think I should probably stay here until Grandma Abbie comes home. I don't want her to worry."

Robert nodded and tugged her ponytail. "Alright, then. If she doesn't get back once the rain has stopped, call me and we'll go find her. Later!"

Ellie followed him to the front door and watched him dash across the waterlogged street, arms covering his head in a feeble attempt to keep the rain from pelting him. When he reached his front porch and shook himself off, she shut her own front door hastily, not wanting him to see her staring at him.

The storm kept up its relentlessly driving rain all day. Ellie tried to read, watch TV, cook, even clean to get her mind off of her worries, but she couldn't concentrate on anything without thinking of her grandmother. When she finally gave up polishing her school shoes for the third time, the pounding on her roof died down to a steady drizzle. She ran to the front door and stood for several long minutes, waiting for the cherry convertible to come roaring up the street.

When the road remained empty, Ellie pulled on a pair of old boots that were lying by the door and made her way over the half flooded street. A soaking wet Robert met her at the door. "Nothing yet?"

"No. Robert, we need to find her as soon as we can. I can't lose her, as well!"

"Calm down, Mason. She's fine, I promise. I'll be right back." He turned around and disappeared down the hall. Shivering, Ellie stared up at the steel gray sky, trying to stop the tears in her big eyes from spilling over.

"Hey, squirt, are you ready?" Robert's father, Edward, was standing in the doorway, the bright yellow raincoat, boots, and hat contrasting with both the dark clouds and the sad smile on his face as he looked at Ellie. He had been close to Ellie's mom when they were children, and had become close friends with her father before he simply disappeared.

"Let's go." Ellie turned and tried to run down the sidewalk, but Edward put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait just a minute! We're going to drive downtown and search there first. Robert has already walked the local streets, and he didn't see anything. His mom won't let him come with us this time, though; she doesn't want him to get sick, apparently."

"Fine, but let's hurry, please!"

One silent car ride later, Edward was parking in front of his office. The streets were filled with litter and pieces of wood, and there was no sign of life in the downtown area. Ellie jumped out of the car and turning in circles, looking at the darkening sky and up and down the streets for a red convertible.

"Ellie, listen to me. I'm going to make sure my partners' offices are okay, and then I'm going to start searching the other buildings on this block for anyone. You need to go a couple blocks down and circle around to see if you find Abigail or anyone else. Make sure you search the alleys and side streets. When you think you've covered enough ground, come back here. Do you understand?" Edward stood and stretched.

"Yes, I understand, Edward. See ya." Ellie sprinted down the sidewalk. By the time Edward entered his offices and screamed, she was too far away to hear him.

* * *

"Hello? Grandma Abbie? Edward? Anybody out there? HELLO!!" Ellie's cries were answered only by the echo of off the empty streets. She had been on the sidewalk by the car for a good fifteen minutes, and had yet to see anyone. "Edward? Where are you?!" _This isn't right... Edward said that he would be searching these buildings around here, but I haven't seen him yet, and that must have been forty five minutes ago. _"Hello?!"

"Elizabeth, there you are." Before Ellie could spin to see who was talking, she was surrounded by eight black, twitchy bug-like creatures. A man in a black hooded robe appeared in front of her, sending cold chills up and down her spine. "Now, then, why don't you just give up and come with me? I'm telling you right now, it would be in your better judgement not to fight me. Take a look at the ones who did..." The man gestured to the bugs that surrounded her, and with a gasp of fright she suddenly realized that she recognized one of them as one of her classmates, and another as one of the skateboarders from the morning. And that was...

"No, not Edward! What have you done to him! Put him back, put all of them back to the way they were!"

"No can do, Elizabeth; they've become Heartless, and nothing can change that. Now, maybe if you come with me, you can figure out a way to save them. But until then, there is no help for them."

"That is not true." The man in the hood grunted as Ellie turned around to see her grandmother standing on the sidewalk, looking as if she had been there for hours. "You and I both know that only one thing can save those poor citizens now, and that is Kingdom Hearts." She turned abruptly and was gone. Ellie spun around, looking for her, before she appeared right next to her granddaughter, her braids swinging wildly in the wind. "Ellie, this is not your place." Abigail pulled a stick from her pocket, and Ellie felt a sickening jolt of deja vu when she found it shoved under her nose. "Dear Ellie, I trust you to save us all. I'm just too old, and your mother... She needs saving, as well. Go now, and prepare yourself for the journey." Before Ellie or the hooded man could add in a word edgewise, a bright flash of light sent the girl flying backwards, and she landed on her butt in the middle of her own street.

"Grandma Abbie! Grandma Abbie, no! Come back! GRANDMA!!" Ellie pulled her knees into her chest, her eyes squeezed shut while tears poured down her cheeks, mixing with the rain that had begun again. _No... Not again... I can't be alone..._

"Mason!" A pair of strong arms wrapped around her. "Everything is going to be fine, it's okay. I'm here now."

Ellie turned and threw her arms around Robert's neck, splashing puddle water everywhere. "Robert, you don't understand! Your dad... Grandma Abbie... I couldn't..." Her attempt to explain what had happened was cut off by a hiccup, followed by more sobs. He held her until her sobs turned into sniffles and she stood up shakily.

"Can we go inside? The second half of the storm is starting." She half ran out of the street and into his house, Robert right on her heels.

"Hold on." Robert opened the closet door right next to the front door and pulled out a blanket. He turned back to the sodden Ellie and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Now you won't die of pneumonia before you explain what happened, and how you appeared in the middle of the street." He led her into the large, cozy library and pulled two overstuffed chairs in front of the roaring fire. "Sit."

Ellie complied, sinking into the back of the chair and pulling the blanket even tighter around her, as if she was afraid that it, too, would disappear. When she finally began to talk, it was with a tremor that was typical of someone seventy years older than her. As she recounted every detail of the strange attack, Robert's eyes widened with shock and confusion. She didn't weep at the end of her tale, but she lost herself in the flames of the red hot fire before her, wishing she could get behind the grate and throw herself into it's depths rather than live with her heart in pieces.

"So, Dad is gone, as well?" Robert's voice wasn't stricken with despair or accusation, but it was demanding. Ellie, not being able to muster up her voice, simply nodded. From the corner of her eye, she saw him stand up from his chair and walk behind her. She jumped as he put his hands on her shoulders and bent down to talk to her. "Obviously somebody wants you, though I can't imagine why anyone would." Her serious expression broke down slightly, and Robert smiled. "However, we've got to get you out of here before they do get you. So, let's get going."

"Where can we go, Robert? They're everywhere, they've gotta be."

"Anywhere we can. Maybe if we get out of Maple Brook for just a little bit, they'll go away, and everything will be back to normal." Ellie heard his voice crack slightly, and she turned around in the huge chair to see a single tear running down his cheek. "Everything will be okay. It will be like a dream, like it never actually happened."

Ellie stood up and went around the chair to wrap her arms around him. A bolt of lightning struck nearby, and the lights flickered and went out as she touched him. They stood in total darkness for several seconds before Ellie found any words. "Robert, please tell me that your fireplace is powered by electricity."

"Um, no, it's the old fashioned kind."

"Then, why did the fire go out with the rest of the power?"

"Good question." Both friends started when a scream from the second floor pierced through the murky, silent silence. "Mom!"

"Oh, was that your mother? You'll forgive me; she's already been turned into a Heartless. Pitiful woman." A third voice rang in Ellie's ears, and she suddenly felt dizzy. She was vaguely aware of Robert trying to shove her behind him, trying to protect her, while shouting at the voice, but something had come back to her memory. Something that should have been long forgotten.

_**"No! You won't do this to them. Haven't you done quite enough?!"**_

_**"No. I don't think I have. I want the girl, and I won't leave without her."  
**_

_**"Becca, take Ellie and go!"**_

_**"What?! No, Ryan, I won't leave you! I can't!"**_

_**"You can, and you must! Now go! Just remember that I love you!"**_

_**"Ryan... I love you, too."**_

"No, wait- Daddy! Come back!"

Ellie screamed the last part out loud, bringing her back to her senses. The man who had just spoken was the man who had made her father leave, almost fourteen years ago. The man had attacked Ryan Mason and made him fall to the ground, while the three year old Ellie reached one tiny hand out to him from her mother's shoulder as they fled. Ryan had looked back, winked and smiled at her before tackling the strange hooded man, and that was the last Ellie had seen of her father.

Robert was trembling with rage as the man neared the friends. His hood was down, and she could now see his cold blue eyes, like ice chips, and his white-blond shoulder length hair. He was smiling evilly. "Well, well, it would appear I have found my quarry. Unfortunately, there seems to be something in my way." The accent in his voice was an unfamiliar one, and it almost made her scream again. She was beginning to have more flashbacks, and the room was spinning around her as she tried to remain conscious. "Whatever shall I do?" He laughed and leaned against a bookcase.

Robert turned around and shook Ellie's shoulders roughly, clearing her head. "Listen, Mason, you've got to get out of here. I don't know where, but you've got to run while I hold him off. This guy isn't someone for you to mess with."

"But-" Ellie looked into Robert's deep blue eyes and saw the panic and anger that they held. She blinked back a tear and nodded. "Be careful, Robert. You're all I have left."

Robert smiled softly and shoved her backwards. "You too, Mason."

Ellie turned and began to run to the other library door, the one that led to the kitchen. Instead of leaving like Robert had told her to do, however, she merely stopped when she reached the kitchen and listened at the door with bated breath. Robert was muttering something to the blond man, who was laughing.

"What gave you the idea that you could stop me? Boy, you don't know what kind of power you are dealing with. Why don't you join me instead of being another casualty? Especially since your death would be for a meaningless cause. We don't want to hurt your little friend, we only want to use her for a bit, and then she'll be free."

"Psst! Ellie, what are you doing out here, eavesdropping like a common criminal? You should be in there, fighting like the girl you are!" Ellie spun around to confront this new voice, but no one was there. "Hehehe, you aren't gonna find me. I'm your friendly spirit guide. Name's Axel. Got it memorized?" Ellie spun around again, and Axel sighed. "Look, Princess, I'm in your head. No one can hear me but you, because I don't exist anymore."

_What?!_

"That's right! You're a fast learner. Now, get back in there and fight!"

Ellie suddenly found herself throwing open the door and sprinting back to fight alongside Robert. Her moment of reckless bravery was short-lived, however, because when she rounded the row of bookcases that stood in her way, she saw that Robert was on one knee, and the man was standing over him triumphantly.

Before Ellie could do anything, a vortex appeared in the floor beneath him and he vanished in a purple-black fire. "No! Robert, you can't leave me!" Ellie saw the room spinning around her once more; she collapsed to her knees this time, her eyes shut to steady herself. "ROBERT!"

The stranger was suddenly pulling her up by the elbow, almost dangling her off the floor. She felt the the tip of something jab her in the neck, and opened her eyes to see the blond man yelling something, but she couldn't, or wouldn't, understand what he was saying. She had just lost the last fragments of her broken heart, for Robert was surely dead, as were her parents and her grandmother. A single tear trailed down her cheek, but she didn't notice it. Her whole body was numb and unfeeling. Until the man smacked her face, whipping her head sideways.

"You little wench! You will pay for his escape!!" He pulled her farther off of the floor, taking the pressure off of her neck and grabbing her hair to make her look him in the eyes. "You belong to the Dark Lord now, _Princess_, and I'm sure he won't mind if I punish you a little first." He dropped her to the floor and looked at her harshly. "You've already become more trouble than you're worth." He kicked out at her leg, but she moved just in time. Her breathing became haggard as she stared at the man with murder in her eyes.

"Well, I am SO sorry to have caused you trouble, _sir_," she said, her tongue dripping with malice. "You took my father, and my mother, and my grandmother, and now Robert."

"Actually, I had nothing to do with your mother or grandmother, and I certainly didn't want that boy to escape. Someone helped him. Who that someone is, I have no idea." The man's eyes twinkled with amusement.

Ellie stood up and took a step back. "Either way, you helped to tear apart my life, and you will be the one to pay!" A sudden surge of energy flowed through her body; she jumped into the air and threw her arms into the air. An large, ornate blade appeared in her hands. She swung it down to hit the man, but he disappeared. When she landed, she looked around warily. When she didn't find him, she relaxed. Moments later, a portal opened beneath her feet and she fell into darkness.

* * *

Khgirl08:Well, then. I'm finally done and ready to post! Who knows when the second chapter will be done? Review, even if you absolutely hated it, because I still want to know! 'Til next time!


	2. The Islands, Part 1

Khgirl08: Hey everybody (or whoever is reading this)! I hope you like the story so far, and I really hope you like the second chapter. Oh, and if you don't like the idea of an HP x KH crossover, DEAL WITH IT!!

Ellie: Yeah, and if you review, Khgirl08 will make you a cookie!! :D

Khgirl08: What? I don't make cookies!

Ellie: You do now…

Khgirl08: -le sigh- Hey, who's writing this story, anyway?

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing you recognize, unless the first time you read about it was in the last chapter. .

* * *

"Your majesty! Your majesty!" Dale, one of the Gummi engineers at Disney Castle, came scurrying into the library, panic flashing in his big eyes. King Mickey looked up from the report he was reading, and his dog Pluto, who was curled up at his master's feet, perked up his ears in alarm.

"Dale, what's the matter? Why isn't Chip with you?" The king put down the report and looked down at the chipmunk, who had climbed right onto the desk and was panting heavily. Mickey was referring to the other half of the Gummi department, another chipmunk who was inseparable from Dale.

Dale immediately straightened to rigid attention, and began to tell his story, still wheezing and gasping to get enough air. "Well, Chip and me were doing the check of our supplies and spare Gummi blocks, and all of a sudden, Chip disappeared! One minute he was there, and the next he wasn't, and then all of our sensors started chirpin' and screechin' out their warning's, and then a planet disappeared! It was way off in the distance, really far from anywhere we're familiar with, but sure enough, it just poofed off the screen, just like Chip! Then I ran all the way in here." Dale promptly collapsed into a fit of sobs on top of Mickey's reports.

"Mickey?" Queen Minnie walked into the library and gasped when she saw the little chipmunk. "Oh, dear! What ever has happened, Mickey?" When the king didn't respond, Minnie put one gloved hand on that of her husband. Minnie was dressed to fit the part of a queen, wearing her tiara, flowing gown and jewelry with a gentle grace, her slightly pregnant stomach just peeking through the fabric. Mickey, however, only bothered with the traditional costumes of a king when he absolutely had to. Today he was donned in a red shirt and shorts that matched it. When he felt the warmth of Minnie's hand, he smiled sadly.

"Minnie, it's happening again."

* * *

The bright light penetrated Ellie's eyelids, and she rolled over, mumbling. "Just five more minutes, Grandma Abbie…" When she reached down to pull her covers back up, however, she only grasped at thin air. Her eyes flew open and she sat up, looking around wildly. Rather than the morning sunlight streaming through the windows in her room, the moon had begun to shine through a hole in the ceiling of a small cave. The memory of what had happened in Maple Brook yesterday washed through her, and her vision went blurry, as if she were on the brink of passing out.

Once she was able to see straight, she looked at her surroundings. This cave was about the same size as the one she and Robert used as a hang out in Maple Brook, but it was covered in drawings and plants, whereas her own had chairs, a table, lanterns, books, and board games. Even so, it still made her pine for home.

The beam of moonlight had shifted to light up more of the cave by the time Ellie stood up and explored it more thoroughly. There was a handle-less, plain looking door tucked into a ridge, and there were pictures everywhere. Many were beginning to fade, some to the point that Ellie couldn't tell exactly what they were. There was a cute drawing that appeared to be a little boy and girl handing each other stars, and little hearts were sketched all around them. Ellie smiled at them; the two could easily be Robert and herself, excepting the fact that the boy's hair was far too spiky to belong to her friend. Another picture nearby caught her attention as well, because it appeared to be more recent than any of the others. The spiky haired boy was standing in between a duck and a dog, who were human-sized and were wearing clothes, but he was also holding a peculiar blade. It strongly resembled a giant key.

The last few seconds of Ellie's last encounter with the strange, blond man came back to her. She had somehow summoned a blade when her emotions had finally caught up with her, and this picture, this giant key… blade thing, reminded her of the one she had summoned.

"The Keyblade… A powerful weapon, Princess." Axel's voice popped into her head again, and she jumped in surprise. "Yeah, I know you thought I was gone, but no such luck. Anyhow, you have a special Keyblade. It's called Pure Heart. It's special because…" Axel stopped talking for a moment, and Ellie thought he had gone until he cursed under his breath, if he had breath, anyhow. "Nope, I'm still here, Ellie, for now. Wait… Nope, sorry kiddo, the old geezers are summoning me. I really am going this time, but remember to _be careful_." With that, his voice disappeared, and Ellie was alone once again.

_Okay… That was… unusual._ She nearly screamed when the cave went totally black, the moonlight having moved onto light up more of the world. "I've got to get out of here. I can't even see my hand in front of my face." Thinking out loud almost made if feel like someone was with her, and she was already longing for conversation. She followed the wall until she found what appeared to be an exit to the cave, stumbling over rocks and a tree root that were sticking out of the ground.

Eventually the ground under her feet became smooth instead of the rough, thin layer of grit and pebbles that covered the cave floor. The path began to get some light, and the ceiling got lower and lower until Ellie was crawling on her hands and knees. She pushed aside some vines and crawled into the open, stood up, and gasped.

She was standing on a moonlit path between a gigantic tree and a pool of crystal clear water. Ellie stared around in awe. The giant old tree was covered in vines, and a handmade ladder led to a walkway around the tree. A waterfall poured into the pool, glinting silver in the light of the full moon. Ellie followed the path, still drinking in the beauty of this strange place. A few stair steps took her to a wide beach, where navy waves lapped peacefully onto the white sand. Resisting the urge to run into the ocean, she turned in a slow circle, trying to see the rest of the paradise. Another huge tree was home to a deck of sorts that over looked the ocean. A dock bordered the water, and a couple barrels were sitting underneath. A shack was built into a cliff, one entrance on the beach, the other coming out on top of the cliff. A bridge from the cliff led to a tiny island that was home to several magnificent palm trees. There was a wooden wall that reached into the water a short distance from the natural cliff side.

"It's… beautiful. Is this what the rest of the world outside of Maple Brook looks like?" Nothing but the gentle rhythm of the ocean and the rustling of the wind through the trees responded to her query. Ellie went into the shack. It was completely bare except for a set of stairs. She followed the curving steps and opened another door on top. She was on top of the cliff, so she followed the wooden bridge over the beach and water to the small island. "It doesn't look like anyone's here right now, but someone has spent a lot of time building this up."

One of the palm trees grew sideways and then curved up, forming the perfect seat for at least three people. Ellie climbed onto it cautiously and stretched out, resting her back against the trunk where it skyward. The palm tree was bearing a strange, yellow flower. Her curiosity getting the best of her, Ellie stood on tiptoe and saw that the flower was actually a star- shaped fruit. As she sat back down and stretched, she realized that the drawing of the two kids in the cave showed the fruit, not just stars. "Huh. There must be something special about it. I'll have to go back and take a closer look tomorrow."

The gentle rhythm of the waves pounding the beach acted as a lullaby, and before Ellie even realized she was asleep, the calls of a flock of seagulls woke her up. A feather floated down beside her before the gentle breeze swept it out of sight. Yawning, Ellie sat up and stretched before jumping off of the trunk. "Okay, now that I'm all rested up and ready to go, where do I go?"

"How about back to where you came from?" A rough hand grabbed Ellie's shoulder and turned her around. The hand belonged to a young teenager with really pale skin, black hair and brownish- red eyes. He was thin, but his arms looked taut with muscle. "This is our turf, and you aren't any friend of ours." Two more teens showed up on either side of him. One was a girl who was almost as short as Ellie herself, and her long blonde tresses blew into her angry black eyes. The other boy was older and reminded her of a professional wrestler. He had no hair, his arms and legs were bulging with muscles, and his golden eyes flashed menacingly as he cracked his knuckles and grinned evilly.

Ellie gulped and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Um… how do you know that I'm not your friend? I could be; I'm new around here, and I don't really know my way around yet. I could use a couple of friends like you." An identical shadow of disbelief flitted across the face of both boys, but the girl simply shook her head. Ellie took a step towards them, and they didn't move. "My name's Ellie. Who are you guys?"

The girl took a few steps forward until she was standing nose to nose with Ellie. "I'm Meika, the bald one is Porter, and the other one's KJ. We don't need some shrimpy little baby- faced girl following us around. We fought for this turf once, and won, and we'll do it again and again until everyone leaves us alone!"

Ellie blinked before smiling. "I honestly just want to be friends. Do you always judge people before getting to know them?"

Meika stepped back to her original position and smirked. "Nope. You opened your mouth to tell us your name, and that's when I figured out that you're a trashy little-"

"Meika, let's just fight her now and get it over with." KJ took a small step forward, so that he was just in front of Mieka and Porter and put his hands up into boxing position. Porter pulled out a small wooden bat, and Meika produced a whip.

Ellie took a step back. "Would you seriously beat me up because I was sitting on this palm tree?" The three friends nodded briefly, and Ellie took another step back.

"Now!" KJ drew his fist back and swung a wild punch at the red head. She ducked out of the way and rolled aside to miss a beating from Porter's bat. Before she could stand back up, Meika's whip struck her ankle. A red, stinging welt appeared instantly, and Ellie's eyes darkened with rage and pain.

"I just wanted to be your friend!" she whispered darkly before throwing out her right hand. Pure Heart, as Axel called it, appeared in a flash of light. Before her three attackers could react, she jumped up and swung at Meika. The blond girl tried to leap out of the way, but Ellie caught her in the back. She immediately turned and swung out at Porter, who collapsed on top his bat with a nasty crunch the moment the blade hit his stomach. She slowly turned to face KJ, whose face had turned a pasty shade of gray and was splotched with deep red. "I guess this is my turf now, isn't it?"

Rather than answering, KJ turned and ran over the short bridge. Meika forced herself to her feet and followed him. Porter was still on the ground in the fetal position, moaning in pain. Ellie lowered her Keyblade to her side and walked over to him. She offered her arm to help him up, put he jumped up on his own, leaving the broken remains of his weapon spread on the ground. "I don't need the help of some sissy little girl to stand up, no matter how hot she is. I do like my women a little on the trashy side." KJ's angry voice called for him from the dock, and Porter shook his head and smiled evilly. "This isn't over, babe." He blew a kiss at her, winked, and was gone, leaving Ellie in a stunned silence.

"Well, that was weird." As soon as Porter disappeared, she looked down at her Keyblade.

Pure Heart's handle was lavender, and the back of the key matched it perfectly. Where the grooves and etches of a normal key would be, the blade formed a solid crown. A heart was etched into the middle of the crown, and a pair of thin pale pink vines spiraled their ways up to the tip blade to form another crown. A large keychain dangled from the handle, a deep red heart with a bright yellow crown hanging from one curve, and it appeared to glow with energy.

Ellie finally sat down on the tree again. As she thought, Pure Heart disappeared from her lap in a shower of sparkles. _Why did those three want to fight me? It wasn't like I was hurting anything. And why did Meika and Porter both call me trashy?_ Ellie sighed as she watched the trio row their boats away from the dock and out towards a larger island in the distance, an island that she hadn't noticed in the dark of the night before. When they had become nothing but spots on the surf, Ellie jumped off of the trunk again and crossed the bridge. She jumped onto the roof of the shack and slid off of it onto the ledge that led to the clear pool and the cave.

When she looked into the water, she realized why the other teens had called her trashy. Her shirt was filthy and tattered, and both of the outer seams of her shorts were ripped halfway up. Her face was smudged with grime, and her hair was tangled and grubby, and it looked about two feet longer than it had been when she last saw it.

"EEW!!" she screeched, her high pitched squeal echoing all around he island. "I have _got_ to get cleaned up, right now!!" Looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was pulling a boat into the dock, she almost began to strip. After taking her shoes off, however, she slipped on a wet rock and fell into the shallow water. When she stood up again, the water came up to the top of her shorts. She sighed wearily and sludged through the pool to the waterfall. After five minutes of the water pounding down on her, she stepped into the middle of the pool and looked at her reflection again. Her hair still vaguely resembled a rat's nest, but at least it was clean. She made her way back to the edge of the pool, pushed herself out and flopped down on the rocks to dry off.

"How long was I in that cave?" she murmured. "I was definitely not that filthy when I was in Robert's house. It must have been that portal I fell into. I've got to get home and find help!!"

After the rivulets of water had died off and her shirt was only slightly damp, she slipped on her sandals and left to explore more of the island. She first climbed up the ladder that she had seen last night. The ramp led to a small room inside the tree, but it was completely empty. She walked back outside and saw an old boat hidden behind some bushes near the tree. "Hey, maybe I can use that to get to that other island and find help!"

After climbing down the ladder and rounding the tree, she dragged the rickety boat down the beach and into the water. She climbed in and found an equally aged paddle on the bottom. She pushed it into the water and began rowing towards the island.

When she could see the other beach, a drop of water hit her nose. All of a sudden, the gentle breeze became a brutal wind, and the waves began tossing the tiny boat around. Lightning flashed in the distance, and seconds later thunder rumbled a response. Ellie began rowing faster, but the current was pulling her back out to sea. "Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. How was I supposed to know there would be a storm?"

A loud rushing sound came from behind her, and before she could react a giant wave crashed on top of her. She heard the boat splinter into pieces before she was pulled under, and she choked on seawater as her vision went black.

* * *

Mickey was standing in the Gummi hangar with a dog and a duck. "Welp, fellas, I guess we've gotta get back to work."

The duck nodded sadly. "Yeah, Daisy will kill me. David's first birthday is only one week away." He shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. I'll miss David, Denise and Daisy so much."

The dog put his hand on the duck's shoulder. "Gawrsh, Donald, I can't believe it either. I'm sure Daisy will understand, though. We've gotta go help set things straight, but I know I'm gonna miss my Max."

Mickey nodded and smiled at his two best friends. "Well said, Goofy. Now, let's go." Donald Duck and Goofy nodded and followed him into the Gummi ship. Donald was wearing a blue shirt with a lot of zippers and a matching hat and Goofy was in a black vest over a green shirt with an orange hat and dark yellow pants. Mickey and Donald were both considerably shorter than Goofy, but all of them were extremely skilled warriors.

When he had settled into the pilot's chair, Mickey spoke to the picture of Dale, whose eyes were rimmed in red, that had appeared on the windshield. "Ready, buddy?"

After a great sniff, Dale nodded. "I haven't had to do this for almost twenty-three years, but I guess it's gotta happen. If you find Chip, send him back here, okay? I need his help awful bad."

"Of course we will, Dale. We'll be back soon!" Mickey buckled the seat belt, and Dale pressed a button on his side of the screen. His picture disappeared and the Gummi ship turned and dropped into space. A hatch groaned open beneath them, and in the blink of an eye, they were in outer space and flying straight for the Destiny Islands.

Dale's high-pitched voice squeaked over the speakers. "The Destiny Islands are straight ahead, Your Majesty. Just land it slowly, and you should be okay. A storm just hit, so you might get blown around a little, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem." As soon as he finished speaking, the tiny world popped into view, and the king pressed the 'LAND' button. The Gummi ship came to a screeching halt before plummeting straight down and landing with a loud THUD on the beach of the main island.

Donald and Goofy, having neglected to fasten their safety belts, were thrown forward and hit the floor hard on either side of their king, who shook his head and sighed.

"Alright, Dale, we're getting out now!" Mickey said into the microphone. Dale's picture popped onto the windshield again and the tiny engineer waved good-bye while dabbing at his large nose with a tissue twice his size.

"Come on, fellas, let's get going to find Sora and the others," Mickey said as he unbuckled his belt. Donald and Goofy pushed themselves up and followed him through the door. As soon as the three made it to the sandy beach, they were almost blown off their feet by a sudden gale of wind. They shielded their eyes from the sandstorm and the driving rain and ran to take cover under a nearby grove of palm trees.

"Gawrsh, this is some storm, huh fellas?" Goofy asked, taking his hat off and wringing the water out.

"Yeah, and I thought he meant the ship would get blown about, not us!" Donald grumbled while shaking the water off of his feet. Mickey laughed and looked out to sea.

"Don't worry, the storm is almost over. I can see some blue sky out over the other island." Mickey squinted at the shoreline and whistled when a huge wave crashed on the shore. "Oh, boy, I hope there aren't too many boats out right now. Wait, what is that?"

A lot of driftwood had been washed onto the sandy beach by the wave along with something red and green. Donald and Goofy both squinted at it as well, then shrugged. "Aw, it's probably just some seaweed or something," Donald quacked.

"I'm not sure, Donald. I think it might be a person!" Before Donald or Goofy could react, Mickey charged back into the rain.

When he reached the pile of driftwood, his fears were confirmed; a petite girl was lying face down in the sand, her shirt partially shredded and her body battered. Mickey knelt down next to her and was relieved to hear shallow breaths, but she was completely unconscious. When he picked her arm up and began to drag her back to shelter, the rain trickled down to a slight drizzle and the sky began to lighten above them. "Donald, Goofy, come help me! She's hurt!"

The royal mage and the captain of the royal knights ran out to help the king with the girl's limp body. By the time they had lain her beneath the trees the sun was beginning to peek out from behind the storm clouds again. Mickey pushed the hair out of her face, and she began to stir.

* * *

Ellie forced her eyes open. She was staring into the huge eyes of a mouse the size of a kid. She sat up and gasped. "Who are you? Did I die or something, or am I dreaming?!"

The mouse laughed and shook his head. "Nope, you're still very much alive and awake. I'm Mickey Mouse, the king of Disney Castle. It's nice to meet you!"

A duck about the same height as the mouse and a dog who was taller than them both appeared on either side of him. "I'm Donald Duck, the Royal Mage of the King!"

"And I'm Goofy! A-hyuck! I'm the Captain of the Royal Knights!" He smiled and waved. "What's your name?"

Ellie was staring in shock; these three animals were talking to her as if they were normal people. Blinking, she smiled slightly and ignored the fact that she was speaking to barn-yard critters. "I'm Elizabeth Mason of Maple Brook, but please call me Ellie."

"Maple Brook? You mean you're from another planet?" The King looked at her curiously, then plopped down on the sand in front of her. "Okay, tell me how you ended up in that ocean."

Ellie blew out a sigh, drew in a deep breath and began to reel off most of the strange tale of her last day in Maple Brook, leaving out the parts about Axel and the blond man, because she couldn't explain them accurately, nor did she want to. The King, the duck and the dog, while looking upset and angry, didn't seem at all surprised by anything about her story, until she mentioned the part about the three teens attacking her on the smaller island. After she had finished, the duck leaned forward, his big eyes wide.

"Do you mean that three people tried to kick you off the island, but you beat them?" When Ellie nodded, he narrowed his eyes. "I don't believe it. Where's your weapon?"

"Well, it's right here." She closed her eyes, stuck out her right hand and summoned Pure Heart. All three of her new companions gasped in shock and leaned close to inspect it.

The King finally looked up at her. "Do you mean to tell me you have a Keyblade, too?"

"What? 'Too?' I didn't know that anyone else did, except for that kid in the picture on the wall in that cave…" She flicked her eyes between Donald and Goofy, and suddenly she realized that she had seen them before. "Wait a minute!! You two were in that picture!! Did you realize that? You know the spiky-haired kid with the Keyblade!"

Donald and Goofy looked at each other and laughed. "Of course we know him, Ellie! We traveled with him for almost two years, looking for the King here and Riku and Kairi!" Goofy answered.

"The King and Riku and Kairi also have Keyblades, but they all have different powers and look different, too!" Donald added. Ellie shook her head and noticed a flash of green in her soaked red bangs.

"Eew, I have seaweed in my hair!!" she exclaimed as she tried to pull it out. When she tugged on it, though, it pulled at her scalp like real hair. "Oh. My. Gosh. _My hair turned GREEN!!_" she shouted. Mickey looked closely at her hair and his eyes grew even bigger.

"Actually, now it's flashing different colors. There's two chunks of your hair that are doing it. And your tattoo is also changing colors like that."

Ellie stopped panicking and looked at him in confusion. "I don't have a tattoo…"

Instead of answering, the king just pointed at her heart. A large rip in her shirt had revealed a tattoo of the outline of Pure Heart's keychain. It was, as Mickey said, rapidly changing colors. Ellie stared at it, her green eyes beginning to well up with tears. She bit her lip and looked down at the sand.

"Aw, what's the matter, Ellie?" Donald asked. She shook her head and looked up at the trio from Disney Castle.

"I have no idea how I got here, I don't know anyone, my entire family and my best friend have gone missing, that blond guy is still looking for me, and now I've grown an extra couple feet of hair and sprouted color changing streaks and a tattoo, and I have no idea why any of this is happening to me!"

The king looked at her, his eyes narrowing. "You didn't mention any blond men earlier…"

"I guess he's been stalking me since I was a little kid, but I just found about it. He calls me 'Princess', and he talks about how I just need to surrender. He made my best friend disappear, and he took my dad away from me almost fourteen years ago… Both of them were taken because of me, and he's still out there, and I don't know if this will be enough to save myself." She looked gloomily at Pure Heart before it disappeared in a dazzling display of sparkles.

"You don't need to worry about that, Ellie. We'll protect you!" Mickey smiled and patted her shoulder, and Donald and Goofy grinned and nodded. Ellie smiled sadly and pushed herself to her feet, steadying herself on one of the palm trees. "Now, why don't you come with us? We're going to find Sora, Kairi, and Riku."

"Who are they, anyway?"

"We'll explain on the way. Come on!" Mickey led the way towards parking lot that presumably led to the main city.

Twenty minutes later, the foursome were standing in front of a large mansion that was right next to the city hall. "Kairi told us she lived with the mayor, so maybe we'll find her here. Ellie, why don't you go and ask?" Mickey looked up at Ellie questioningly.

"What? I don't even know her!"

"Yeah, but if you haven't noticed, we don't exactly fit in here. Usually no one pays any attention to us, but the citizens of the Destiny Islands seem to think we're out of place, so…"

Ellie sighed and brushed her bangs behind her ear. "Fine, I'll go ask, but don't blame me if I don't find anything." She walked through the open cast iron gates and up the brick driveway. When she reached the massive front door, she reached out to press the doorbell but was interrupted when the door opened. A thick woman was standing with a grumpy look on her face and an apron over her dress.

"Yes? What is it? We don't want to buy anything, so if that's what you're after-"

"No, ma'am, actually, I'm… um… I'm looking for Kairi. Is she home?"

The maid grunted and shook her head. "Kairi doesn't live here anymore. She moved across town when she got married to that slob Sora. Let me get you her address." She slammed the door shut, but opened it again in less than a minute with a card in her hand. "Here. Now, don't be trying to sell her anything, either, or I'll make sure you won't be selling _anything_ for a long, long time." With that, the grouchy maid slammed the door so hard that the mansion shook.

Ellie walked back down the driveway and met back up with the others. "The maid told me that she moved across town with Sora when they got married."

Mickey, Donald and Goofy just stared at her, their jaws slack. Finally regaining his composure, Mickey cleared his throat and smiled uneasily. "Well, that's interesting. I didn't think they were old enough to get married…"

"Well, you said the last time you saw them was about twenty-two years ago, right? If they were fifteen then, then they'd be thirty seven or so now. My parents married when they were twenty and twenty one…" Ellie let her sentence trail off and sighed sadly. The three others thought about this for a moment before nodding.

Mickey looked at her curiously. "Huh. So your parents would be in their late thirties by now, wouldn't they?" When the red head nodded, he continued his prying questions. "What was your father's name?"

"Ryan. Ryan Mason. He was really tall, I think, but I don't really remember very much . Why do you ask?"

Mickey scratched his head. "I don't know. Something about you just seemed… familiar. Ryan Mason… Nope, I don't think I know anyone by that name. Sorry."

Ellie shrugged and smiled. "That's okay, Your Majesty. I have always thought he was dead, anyhow." She turned and started walking down the street, not wanting the three boys to see the pain and disappointment that suddenly dulled the emerald sparkle of her eyes.

After another fifty minutes of wandering through the town and one stop at a convenience store for directions, the foursome were once again standing in front of a house, staring. It only had one floor, but it was cute. The bright blue shutters stood out against the white siding, and the front porch was home to several baskets of bright pink flowers. A short blue fence surrounded the neatly trimmed yard, and a clothesline stretched from a palm tree to the corner of the porch.

"I guess this is the place… When you consider it's one of the two houses on the street…" Ellie said dryly. Goofy finally pushed open the gate and walked up the walk, closely followed by the others.

When they knocked on the door, footsteps tapped their way to the door and it was opened by a short, heavily pregnant woman with big brown eyes, curly dark brown hair, and a big smile. "Yes? Oh, how silly of me, you must be looking for Sora and Kairi. They're at an appointment, but they should be back soon. Would you like to come in?" Before they could answer, the lady laughed. "Oh, silly me! I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Danielle, their neighbor. Since the school I teach at is out for the summer, I've been sitting for their daughter. Please, come in, come in!"

Mickey, Donald and Goofy brushed past her immediately, and Ellie quickly followed. The inside of the house was just as neat as the outside, with the exception of the drawing books lying in the hall. Danielle led them into a small living room where two kids sat in front the television. The little girl had long, spiky burgundy hair and slightly tan skin, and she was doodling on a notebook and twirling a strand of her hair. The boy looked a little older, with long silver hair and big brown eyes. He was watching the girl draw intently, his eyes glowing.

"Sky, Hope! These are our guests, um…" Danielle turned to the group and grinned. "Who are you, exactly?"

"I'm Mickey, this is Donald and Goofy, and we're all from Disney Castle. And this is Ellie. We just met her." Danielle squealed in excitement and all four visitors took a shocked step back and collapsed onto an overstuffed couch..

"Oh, you must be the King! Riku has told me _so_ much about you! And Sora never stops talking about you two!" She sank into a rocking chair and laughed. "Well, well, well, I never expected to actually meet any of you! This is wonderful!"

The boy stood up and walked over to Danielle. Ellie realized with a jolt that, young as he may be, the boy was already as tall or taller than her. "Mom, will Dad and Uncle Sora and Aunt Kairi be home soon?"

"Yes, Sky, they should be. Say hi to your father's friends!" The boy grinned at them before going back to the little girl, who set her drawing pad down and turned around to look at the newcomers.

"Do you know my mom and dad, too?" she asked sweetly. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy nodded, and she smiled. "Daddy always tells me about his friends Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, and now I get to meet you!" She stood up and skipped over to Ellie and looked up at her with sparkling blue eyes. "I don't remember a girl, though. My name's Hope, and I'm almost ten. Sky is half a year older than me, but we're best friends forever. Right?" She turned and looked at Sky with concern and looked relieved when he nodded and smiled.

The front door opened and a musical voice floated into the room. "Dan, we're home!" A beautiful woman walked in, glowing with happiness. Her burgundy hair was pulled into a high ponytail with her bangs hanging across her forehead, and she was wearing a purple tank top with a knee-length pink ruffled skirt.

"Mom!" Hope scrambled over to the woman and grinned up at her. The woman laughed and pulled her into her side. When she had hugged the girl and released her, she looked over at the couch and gasped.

"Donald! Goofy! Mickey! Oh, I can't believe that you're all here!" She rushed over to the couch and gathered them into a bear hug. "It's been so long!"

"Kairi, I'm leaving the door open for Riku, so don't turn on the air, okay?" A tall, tan man strode into the room, and Ellie instantly recognized him as the boy in the cave pictures. His hair was still standing off of his head in long spikes, and his face sported a broad grin. He was wearing tan khaki shorts and a bright orange tee shirt. He tousled Hope's hair before planting a kiss on the top of her head. "Hey, squirt! Did Aunt Danielle treat you nicely?"

"Of course!" Hope giggled. "Guess what? I met Donald, and Goofy, and Mickey!"

"What?" Hope pointed to her mother, who had just released the trio from Disney Castle and was wiping a tear from her eye. "No way… I can't believe you guys are actually here!"

"Sora!" Donald and Goofy dashed over to him and tackled him in a giant hug, which sent the three of them toppling over. "Just like old times!"

"Sora, I can't believe how old you've gotten! Already married with a kid… It's just crazy!" Goofy laughed. "But, then again, I guess my Max is already twelve years old."

"Yeah, Denise is twelve, too, and David is almost one year." Donald shook his head and brushed a tear from one eye. "I can't believe we're actually here!"

"Knock knock! I'm shutting the door, Sora!" A very tall man wearing a yellow t-shirt and cargo pants walked into the living room. He had ear length silver spikes of hair and his aqua eyes held an expression of astonishment. "Your Majesty?!"

"Yup! It's me, alright!" Mickey pushed off of the couch and walked over to the man. "Riku, I can't believe how long it's been!"

Riku picked him up and hugged him tightly. "Nor can I, Your Majesty. It's been far too long." After setting down the king, Riku walked over to Danielle and put his hand on her stomach. "Ouch! The little guy kicked me!" Laughing, he kissed her and brushed a stray hair off her forehead. "Are you okay, Dan? No problems?"

"Nope, today has been perfectly fine!" she replied. Riku kissed her again and turned to Sky.

"Hey, bud! How are you feeling today? Did you take care of your mother today?"

Sky nodded seriously. "Yeah. Hope and I made lunch by ourselves so Mom didn't have to stand up."

Riku grinned at him and turned to look at Sora, who was finally getting back to his feet, and smiled. "Just like old times, eh?"

Sora nodded and went to stand next to Kairi. "Oh, wow, I can't believe the day we've had! It's been so good. And guess what? Kairi is…" His eyes fell on Ellie, who was still sitting on the couch in polite silence, and he broke off in mid- sentence. Kairi and Riku followed his eyes and looked equally confused. "Uh… Who are you, and why are you in our living room?"

Ellie coughed and blushed slightly, watching as part of her bangs turned yellow. "Um… Hi. I'm Ellie Mason. I'm from Maple Brook." Danielle gasped again, and her eyes lit up in excitement.

"Really?! I used to live in Maple Brook when I was a girl! Do you know a woman named Rebecca Swallow, because you look just like her! You see, she was one of my best friends, but I haven't seen her since I moved here."

It was Ellie's turn to gasp excitedly. "Yes! She's my mother!"

"Really?! Then Ryan must be your father! Well, well! How things have changed… I cannot believe Becca had a child before me. And with Ryan Mason, of all people! I would have never thought. Although, I guess I remember your family the way they were twenty two years ago!" Danielle bubbled. "Well, sorry to interrupt your conversation, but remember to tell your mom 'Hi' for me, okay?"

Ellie bit her lip and averted her eyes, and Mickey sighed. "I guess I'll tell you why she's here. Actually, it's the reason any of us are here. Maple Brook, it seems, has been taken by the Heartless." Everyone in the room gasped in horror. "Chip and Dale, my Gummi engineers, were doing a little work when Chip disappeared. Right afterward, a planet disappeared. Dale couldn't figure out what planet it was, but I'm willing to bet that it was Maple Brook. If one planet has fallen to the darkness, more are sure to follow."

"Okay, so Ellie obviously escaped with her life, but did anyone else? And why was she spared?" Riku asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "From the way she reacted to Dan asking about her mom, I'm willing to bet that she didn't get so lucky."

"No, my mother isn't dead!" Ellie answered hotly. "She disappeared about two years ago, taken by some madman, and Daddy was taken by a different man when I was only three years old. Daddy might be dead, but Mother is alive! And neither is Grandma Abbie or Robert or any of them! A third guy told me that I would be able to find a way to bring back Edward from being a Heartless, and I believe him. They'll all come back soon, I just know it!" She put her head in her hands and began to sob. _But if Daddy was killed by that man... Maybe Robert was, too!_

"Edward is a Heartless?" Danielle whispered, horrified. "He was my other best friend from Maple Brook. I… I can't believe it."

"Oh, you poor thing…" Kairi murmured, slipping onto the couch beside her and hugging her. "I know how much it hurts, to feel alone, but everything will work out in the end."

Mickey continued with his story. "Anyhow, Ellie appears to have a Keyblade." Talking over the gasps of shock, he told them about how the Disney Castle trio met up with the orphaned teen. "… and we showed up here, looking for your help. We're going to need all of you."

Sora frowned and looked at Kairi. "Well, I'll gladly help, but Kairi is staying out of things this time around. We just found out that she's pregnant again, and I'm not going to risk her health or the baby."

Riku nodded. "Danielle wasn't involved last time, and she's not going to get herself involved now." He put his hand on her shoulder, and she reached up and out her hand on his.

"Mom is a Princess, though, right Daddy?" Hope finally spoke up. He nodded and sighed before looking at Ellie, who had finally stopped crying, although her lip was still trembling.

"Did a woman named Maleficent happen to show up, looking for a Princess of Heart?"

"No, but almost all of those men I talked about called me a princess, and they said they would be needing me to help them with something."

Mickey looked at her in shock. "You never mentioned that, Ellie." Mickey began to pace a small circle. "This is no good, no good at all. Queen Minnie and I discovered something in the castle library a short time after I returned. According to an ancient report on the Keyhole to the true Kingdom Hearts, in order for the portal to be completely and permanently opened, a special 'Key' is necessary, but not a Keyblade. The report speaks of the seven Princesses of Heart as well as an eighth Princess, the one who holds the key. These Princesses can and do change over time, so Kairi, maybe you don't have anything to worry about, but just in case…"

"Your Majesty, no! Kairi is not coming with us, no matter what. If she's in any kind of danger, I'll stay here and protect her with my life. I am not risking her heart again!" Sora's face was dark with anger, and everyone in the room was taken aback by his ferocity. "I mean it, I will NOT let her be in danger!"

"Sora, calm down!" Kairi stood up and took his hand in both of her own. "I can defend myself, Danielle, and the kids if I need to, but you need to protect everyone, not just me. I promise you, I will be perfectly safe."

"Are you sure, Kairi? You shouldn't be doing anything. If you or the baby or Hope got hurt…" Sora clenched his mouth and tightened his fist instead of continuing.

"Well, Sora, I didn't expect that anything would happen like this. I doubt that any of us did, but we still need to help in any way we can. If you would feel better staying here and fighting guarding Kairi, Danielle, and the children, nothing I can say or do will make you come with us." Mickey turned to Riku. "Will you join us, buddy?"

Riku looked at Danielle and Sky for a long moment before nodding. "I think Sora can take care of things here without me. Besides, you guys would be doomed without my help, right?"

Mickey smiled and clasped his gloved hands together. "Alright! Donald, Goofy, Riku, let's go1 We have a lot of ground to cover, and not much time, so…"

"Wait! Please, stay here for just one night! I'm sure you're all tired, and I want to spend some time catching up," Kairi implored. "We have plenty of room here, and plenty of food, so you're all welcome to stay for as long as you see fit."

Donald and Goofy looked at the king, who began to shake his head. When his stomach rumbled loudly, however, he shrugged, smiled and nodded. "Of course, Kairi! We'll stay one night."

Ellie stood up and walked over to the mouse. "What about me, Your Majesty? Aren't I going with you?"

"Sorry, Ellie, but it's just too dangerous. I would be putting you at greater risk to be captured. You need to stay here and let Sora guard you."

"Guard me? I can fight too, Your Majesty! I beat those three bullies today on the island, right? Besides, if I stay here I'll be risking everyone else's safety. That blond man is bound to turn up sooner or later, and he's probably looking for Kairi, too. It would be much simpler and safer if I went with you!"

"I'm sorry, Ellie, but I won't take you." With that, Mickey turned and began to speak quietly with Donald and Goofy, leaving Ellie to silently seethe.

"Don't worry about it, Ellie! I'll take care of you too, I promise!" Sora sidled up to her and put his arm around her shoulders and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "There's another Gummi ship on the island; you can follow them in that, okay?"

Ellie smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Sora."

Alright, who's ready for pizza?" Danielle asked as she pushed herself out of the rocking chair and made her way into the hall. Kairi and Sky followed her, and the men sat down and began to chatter about old times. Hope, however, shyly walked over to Ellie and took her hand.

"Come with us, Ellie. We're making pizza!" Ellie laughed and let the girl pull her into the hall and down to the kitchen.

* * *

Khgirl08: Well, that's chapter two. I would like to thank TwiDawnLight and my best buddy, Danielle, who is in love with Riku, for their support!

Ellie: Yep, and remember to review!!


	3. The Islands, Part 2 Disney Castle Time!

Khgirl08: Howdy! Yes, I have returned!!

Ellie: Yay! More of the getting to meet Sora and Company! Here are our cookie recipients today:

Danielle (the real one) and TwiDawnLight! Thank you for your wonderful reviews, even though she only updates sporadically! XD

Yay! Today's review prize: A chocolate- covered strawberry! (and if you don't like those, you get old, stale cookies!!)

Khgirl08: Ellie! Can it! Please, review! Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Harry Potter, but if I did… Oh, the possibilities… -evil laughter-

* * *

Two hours and a pizza- making fiasco later, Ellie had showered, changed into Danielle's slightly too large normal clothes and was currently eating cold pepperoni pizza on Sora and Kairi's front porch while Sora apologized profusely. "Honestly, I didn't realize that you were behind the door holding an open jar of pizza sauce when I threw it open! I didn't exactly mean to get you covered in it!"

"For the last time, Sora, it's okay. I would have had to change clothes and shower, anyway. Those clothes were beyond help, and besides, it was kind of funny, getting covered in tomato sauce!" Ellie winced as her swollen knee twinged; the multiple bruises and red cuts were becoming even more evident against her pale skin as time progressed.

"Oh, okay, then!" Sora smiled broadly and stretched. "Wow, I'm bored."

"Why don't we go back out to that there island that you, Kairi and Riku used to hang out on? That'd be fun!" Goofy grinned while Donald and the king nodded enthusiastically. The other four adults exchanged glances.

"I don't think we should do that…" Riku said sadly. "The island has been taken over by a small group of bullies, and last time we went, they tried to beat up Sky and Hope. We haven't gone back since."

"What? You couldn't take on a bunch of little kids?" Donald asked, astonished.

"Not legally."

Ellie smiled and shook her head. "Oh, you mean those three teenagers I met earlier? They didn't tell me they had won the island from two young kids. To hear them talk, one would almost think that they had beaten the greatest warriors of the Destiny Islands. But, the island doesn't 'belong' to them anymore. I won it from them, so anyone can go now." She stood up, brushing pizza crust crumbs from her borrowed jeans. "Let's go. I agree with Sora; this is _way_ boring!"

"Alright, then, to the docks!"

* * *

Hope was running frantically from Sky when Ellie and the gang from Disney Castle reached the island, with Sora and Riku cheering them on.

"Faster, Hope! He's gaining on you!"

"Keep it up, Sky! You'll catch her soon!"

Danielle and Kairi were sitting on the small stone wall, watching the proceedings and laughing. While Donald, Goofy and Mickey joined Sora and Riku, Ellie hopped up on the wall next to Kairi.

"I can't believe that I used to be a part of those two's races. It was so long ago," Kairi laughed. Her laugh fade into a sigh. "They never raced again after our war with the Heartless and Organization XIII… They had too many more important things to think about than the winner of the week's heat…" A tear ran down her cheek, leaving a wet trail on her beautiful visage. "I miss those days when we could just be kids… Back when we didn't have to worry that our planet would be taken over by Heartless, or that our children would fall prey to the darkness. It used to be so simple…"

Danielle gave her friend a little hug. "You have to live for today, though, right? Kairi, you can't keep going back; you have kids to live for now."

"Yes, but you can't live without memories, can you?" Ellie closed her eyes and smiled slightly. "Memories are what make us who we are. We can't just ignore them and continue with our lives… I wouldn't be able to handle myself if I didn't look back at life before everything happened… Before I became an orphan."

"Ellie! Come help me catch Hope!" Sky shouted as he chased his friend past the three women. Ellie smiled and looked back at Kairi and Danielle.

"Yeah, I guess you do have to live for today, but don't forget yesterday!" she finished before jumping off the wall and running after the two younger kids. "Hey, wait up!" Ellie sped around the corner of the wall and passed the shack before slowing down to enter a door that was standing open in the tall wooden wall.

"… thought my friends and I made it very clear that you weren't welcome on this island!!" A bulky figure was towering over Hope, who was crumpled on the ground, and Sky, who was standing in front of his obviously hurt friend, his mouth twisted into a fierce snarl. "Obviously we weren't quite clear enough, so let me tell you again!" Porter reached out, shoved Sky back, and grabbed Hope by the arm, completely lifting her off the ground, before smacking her with a giant hand.

"HEY!" Ellie sprinted across the small ledge she was standing on and jumped onto the sand in front of Sky. She summoned Pure Heart and twirled it menacingly in her hand. "Put her down, Porter! You don't rule this island anymore!" She muttered to Sky from the corner of her mouth. "Go get your dad and the others, now!"

Porter smiled down at her with an eerie lust in his eyes as Sky scurried away. "No, I don't, but I also don't think you're doing an adequate job of ruling. You're obviously hurt," he continued, his golden eyes staring at her battered body, the creepy smile still on his face, "but that's no excuse for what you're doing. Why are you letting riff-raff like this step foot on such precious ground? I'll gladly take care of them, if you want me to…" He was still holding a sobbing Hope by one arm, refusing to let her down. "I'll make you a deal," he said, looking down at his hostage. "I'll leave, but only if you let me take her with me." He reached and stroked her damp cheek. "She would make a lovely wife, don't you think?"

"Put her down. NOW!!" Ellie shouted before jumping into the air. She twisted herself into a flip in mid-air and struck Porter's forearm, causing him to drop Hope and moan in pain. Hope fell to the ground but stood up and ran when Porter lunged for her. "You aren't going to use a nine year old to get back at me, Porter!"

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to really fight this time around!" Porter turned to her, a sick smile on his lips, before jumping into the air over Ellie. He brought his hands down toward her, snarling when he hit the sand instead. Ellie had dodged the attack at the last second and swung her Keyblade back at him. She struck his arm again, causing him to scream.

She ran away from him, trying to climb back onto the ledge. When he grabbed her ankle, she tried to strike his arm again, but this time he grabbed the blade in one hand and jerked it forward. Ellie stumbled into him, and he let go of Pure Heart and grabbed her small waist, pushing her against the rocky wall of the ledge.

Ellie tried to squirm out of his vice-like grip as Pure Heart disappeared. "Let go of me, you creep!"

Porter just grinned darkly before bringing his face down to her own and kissing her roughly. Ellie kicked out at him, but he just chuckled evilly and drew back. "You're contrary, aren't you? Contrary, yet beautiful, even if you are scarred. I always do like my women a little trashy…" He leaned down to kiss her again, but stopped when a black- gloved hand grasped his shoulder.

"Young man, I thank you for tracking down my rather… elusive quarry, but I must ask you to let me take things from here." The gloved hand swung at Porter's neck, knocking the large teenager to the ground, unconscious. Ellie pressed herself closer to the side of the ledge as the black- cloaked man approached her. "Ellie, you must come with me. Things are going to get far too dangerous here."

Ellie flinched away from the brush of his gloved hand on her arm and looked up at the shadows where his face was hiding, underneath the hood of his black robe. "Are you crazy?! Why would I go anywhere with you? I don't even know you!"

The man sighed sadly. "I know, and that kills me. It really does. But that doesn't change the fact that I have to help you at all costs." He reached out his hand again, but Ellie drew a deep breath and summoned Pure Heart, holding it in between them with both hands. "Fight me? Ellie, are you crazy?! Don't you understand that people are going to die?! I swear on my life and everything else that I have that I won't let you be one of them, Elizabeth Clarice Mason!"

Ellie gasped and let her weapon drop to her side. "How… How do you know my middle name?"

"Ellie!" She blinked when Sora shouted from behind her, and when she opened her eyes, the stranger had disappeared. Sora and Riku jumped down on either side of her. "Ellie, are you okay? We couldn't understand what Sky was trying to tell us until Hope came back and said that you needed our help. Then she collapsed, so that held us up even more."

"Looks like you showed him who was boss." Riku bent down and picked up the feebly stirring Porter by the strap of his wife beater. "Hey, guess what, buddy? You just messed with the kids of three of the people who built up 'your' island. You broke a little girl's arm, and you think you're just 'protecting your turf?'" Riku shook him. "Well?"

Porter opened his eyes and turned his golden gaze on Ellie. "Well, maybe I was just trying to get to someone else. I bet Ellie didn't mind one bit, what with the way she-"

Ellie jumped forward and smacked him hard. "The way I did what? Kicked your butt until you pinned me against that ledge?! The way I still managed to beat you? By- the- way- I- _definitely_- minded?!" She accented her last words with more slaps before turning sharply and jumping onto the cliff. "Let him go, Riku. I don't think you need to worry about him or his friends ever coming back to this island."

Riku nodded and dropped him. Porter's legs gave out and he collapsed onto the sand. Riku and Ellie averted their eyes as Sora walked over to him and kicked him in the gut. He joined Ellie and Riku on the ledge after glowering at the boy for a moment.

When the three Keybearers got back to the others, Sky and Kairi were kneeling on either side of Hope, who appeared to be unconscious, while Danielle cried softly behind her son. Mickey, Donald and Goofy were pacing in a circle, all three of them looking agitated. Sora knelt beside Kairi and took his daughter's hand while Riku went to his wife. "Is she hurt badly, Dan?"

"We don't think so. I think she just collapsed from the pain of her arm, it's definitely broken… Oh, that poor thing!"

Ellie stood to the side and thought about the strange man. He had known her far too well, seeing as how only her grandmother, parents, and Robert knew her middle name. And his voice had been so familiar…

"Maybe you've met him before. Is he from Maple Brook?" Axel wormed his way into her thoughts.

_Well, well, look who finally showed up again! I was beginning to get worried._

"Yeah, well, the old geezers up here were reminding me that I had to guide you, not just talk to you. Anyhow, do you think maybe you can remember the owner of that voice?"

_Can't you just tell me?_

"Ah… No. I don't know everything. What do think I am, a god?"

_Ummm… Yes?_

"Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I'm just a guide. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to guide you over to see little Hope. Get going!"

Ellie blinked and saw that Hope was beginning to stir. As she hurried over, the girl's beautiful blue eyes cracked open. "Ellie? Is Ellie okay? Daddy needs to go help her…"

Kairi smoothed her burgundy hair back. "Your father already went to help Ellie. She's just fine, baby, she's just fine."

Ellie knelt down beside Sky, who had tears pooling in his eyes. "Hope…"

"Ellie, thank you. You saved me from that big evil man… Did he hurt you?" She blinked happily when Ellie shook her head. "Good, because I saw him grab your ankle and then your waist, and when he kissed you I thought I needed to go get Daddy. But as I was leaving, I fell and couldn't stand back up until some man with light brown hair and a black robe picked me up and told me to get help as soon as possible."

Everyone was staring at Ellie, who was staring at Hope in astonishment. "What? He wanted you to get the others? But… I thought he was trying to kidnap me…"

"Excuse me, Ellie, but what is Hope talking about? That jerk _kissed_ you?!" Sora snarled.

"Better me than her." Everyone gasped and looked down at the little girl, who was attempting to sit up. Sora stood up and strode purposefully toward the other half of the island only to be stopped by Donald and Goofy.

"Sora, it won't do anyone any good if you go back there and hurt him even worse. We'll report it when we get back," Kairi said, still petting Hope's hair. "We need to get to the hospital and get her arm set."

"Fine." Sora turned abruptly and knelt next to Ellie, who looked at him in fright. "Did he do anything else to you? Because I will go back and kill him. Don't try to protect him, either."

"No, Sora, he didn't… He kissed me and then laughed in my face before trying to kiss me again, but a man in a black hooded robe grabbed him and thanked him for catching me for him before knocking him out. That same man kept saying something about taking me with him, because it was too dangerous for me. He told me that people were going to die, and said that he would protect me with his life, and he used my full name." Her mind was in overdrive by this time. _Brown hair…_

"We need to get to a hospital; everyone get in a boat. Kairi, you ride with Riku, Sky and I so we can lay Hope down." Danielle had stopped crying and had gone into teacher mode. "Your Majesty, Donald, Goofy and Ellie, you four get over to the main island and call for help. Sora, make sure you row slowly so you don't hurt Hope's arm any worse than it already is."

Ellie and the Disney Castle trio jumped into their boat and Goofy began rowing them back to the mainland. _Hope… Please be okay._

* * *

Several hours later, the group of concerned friends and parents of Hope were sitting in a waiting room in the hospital, impatiently waiting for Hope to come out of surgery. Her arm was so broken from the vicious kicks she had received before Ellie saw what was happening that they had to wire it together.

A blue- gowned man walked though the swinging doors and took off his mask to reveal a tired smile. "Hi. I'm Dr. Marone, Hope's surgeon. The surgery went exceptionally well. We'll have to keep her overnight, at least, but she should be able to leave in two or three days, at most. She's still sleeping right now, but when she wakes up her parents will be allowed to be with her."

The group heaved a collective sigh of relief before chatting with each other. Ellie, however, just stared blankly at the wall in front of her. _Hope spoke of a brown haired man, and I recognized the voice of the man who spoke to me. Who was it? Was it one of the people who attacked Maple Brook, or kidnapped my parents? No… I don't think so, but … Why do I recognize that voice?_

The lights suddenly flickered before going out as lightning flashed across the sky outside the waiting room window. Someone down the hall screamed, and Ellie flinched as the bone-chilling words reached her ears.

"Get away from me! Help me, someone, please! The bug is about to- AAH!!" The woman's high-pitched scream was cut off ominously, and a deep chuckle resounded from down the hall.

Sora, Riku and the king leapt from their chairs and ran down the hall toward the chuckle while Donald and Goofy jumped up to stop Sky and Ellie from following them.

"Hey! I have a Keyblade, and I can fight! Let me through!"

"But I'm already taller than her, and my dad and uncle are in danger!"

"I'm almost an adult!"

"I'm bigger and stronger than you!"

"They're looking for me!"

"So you should stay here, 'Princess!'"

"STOP YELLING!!" Donald shouted so loud that Sky fell over and everyone else jumped a couple inches into the air. "Neither of you are going; The King asked Goofy and I to keep everyone in here, and that's what we're going to do!" He finished yelling and crossed his arms, a stern look on his face. Goofy rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"Well, Gawrsh, I wouldn't have said it like that, but The King has been worried about this since we found Ellie on the beach, and he wanted to make sure nobody got hurt. Sorry, guys…"

Kairi stood up, her eyes blazing angrily. "The King can't stop me, and I'm going to help my daughter, no matter what you say!"

Goofy and Donald stepped back to guard the door. "No, we can't, but Sora told us not to let you get hurt if anything happened." When Danielle stood up and began to make her way over to them, Donald held up a feathered hand and shook his head. "Don't even try it, Danielle. You're far too fragile right now to go out there, and-"

A huge shadow suddenly appeared behind the two friends, and they gulped and looked over their shoulders before disappearing in a green blaze. A woman cackled nearby as an enormously fat creature broke through the door frame in order to get its wide berth into the room.

"Oh no!" Danielle shoved Sky behind her as the huge Heartless turned its tiny head towards them.

Kairi jumped in front of her friend and summoned a flowery Keyblade. "Danielle! You have to get out of here while I distract it! Take the kids and run back to your house! Go, now!"

"But-" Danielle hesitated momentarily as Kairi stared at her, tears running down her cheeks, before nodding and grabbing Sky by the hand. "Come on, let's get out of here!"

Ellie held back. "No, I can't let Kairi stay here by herself! She'll be killed!"

"Don't argue with me, Ellie, just come on!" Danielle grabbed Ellie with her free hand and ran down the hall as fast as her huge stomach would let her as Kairi let out a battle cry and jumped into the air. When they reached the stairwell, Ellie pulled loose and took a step back.

"Danielle, I'm sorry, but I can't just leave Kairi there to die! I can fight, and I know that I will never be able to live with myself if I didn't try to save her. Besides, they'll be searching for me next, and that will put you and Sky in more danger. I've got to go back."

Danielle looked like she was about to protest, but Sky tugged her hand. "Mom, we have to listen to her. She knows what she's talking about, and besides, she does make sense. What's the sense in running home if the Heartless will chase us down?" The boy turned to Ellie and bowed his head slightly. "Please, Ellie, protect Kairi and Hope. They both need you." Ellie saw his brown eyes tear up, even in the darkness of the stairwell.

Ellie nodded and ran back down the hall. A woman with a strange, low voice was speaking in the waiting room, and Ellie pressed herself to the wall just beside the door. "Well, if it isn't the old Princess. How are you these days, Kairi? Have you produced any more Princesses since we met previously?"

"Maleficent? But… I thought that you and Pete were killed in The World That Never Was!"

"Foolish girl! I'm Maleficent! Nothing can destroy me. However, I am not here to make trouble for you. I am missing several of the Princesses I require to create my Kingdom Hearts, and a little bird told me that at least one of them, maybe even two of them, was here. One of their names is Hope. Have you heard of this woman?"

_Woman? Hope's just a little girl…_

Kairi responded immediately. "Hope? Let me think… I think your little birdie told you wrong, Maleficent, because I have never heard of a woman named Hope."

"Oh, well. I didn't know which one was here. It must be a woman named Elizabeth. What of her?"

Ellie squeezed her eyes shut and waited with bated breath as Kairi thought. "Well… There was a woman named Elizabeth who stopped at my father's home earlier today. But," she cut off Maleficent's cackle of triumph, a trace of smugness in her voice, "she left this evening on a Gummi ship. I've no idea where she was going…"

Maleficent didn't say anything for several seconds before responding, her voice dripping with icy malice. "Well, then , I guess I'll just have to take you as an incentive for your darling Sora to bring me the missing Princesses. Have fun!" Kairi screamed, and Ellie peeked around the broken door frame to see her being dragged into a portal of green and black frames by a tall, pale green woman with a black cape and horns.

Before Ellie could help, the portal had closed, taking Maleficent and Kairi into it. Ellie closed her eyes and drew a deep breath before another scream broke into her senses.

"Mommy, Daddy, help me!" Ellie spun to her left and saw one of the twitchy Heartless from Maple Brook dragging Hope out of a room by her hair. Ellie took off running, leaped into the air, summoned Pure Heart and sliced through the Heartless before it could take Hope away.

"Hello? Is that you, Mommy?" Hope was shaking from head to toe, her normally tan face pasty white and her berry-blue eyes wide with fear. "Where're my parents?"

Ellie knelt down beside her. "Come on, we have to get out of here, now. Can you stand up?" When Hope nodded, Ellie stood up and pulled the girl to her feet, keeping her blade ready in her right hand. "Come on, you can lean on my arm."

Out of nowhere, a gloved hand grabbed Ellie's mouth and dragged her away from the little girl, who teetered before crashing back to the ground and crying in pain. When another hand took her Keyblade away, Ellie bit down on the one covering her mouth, but the person didn't release her. When they finally let her go, she whipped around to confront them, but almost collapsed when she saw Riku, who was now wearing a black robe and gloves. "Riku?! What are you thinking? They're going to capture her, they're looking for her!"

Riku sighed and shook his head. "No, they aren't going to capture her. Sora and the king went to find the source of the Heartless while I got that little girl and ran for it. I met up with Danielle and Sky outside, and they're taking her home. That creature you were trying to help was just a Heartless who had disguised itself as her in the hope that it would be able to capture you. Where are Donald, Goofy and Kairi?"

When Ellie didn't answer, Riku grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Answer me!"

"Donald and Goofy… disappeared when a really fat creature, I think it was a Heartless, snuck up behind them. Kairi made Danielle take Sky and I away, but I came back, and she was talking to some woman with a really low, malicious voice. Kairi called her… Maleficent, maybe? I'm not sure. Anyhow, that lady was looking for two women, one named Hope and the other named Elizabeth. When Kairi said she didn't know a woman named Hope or Elizabeth, the woman said something about taking her as an incentive to find the people she was looking for, and then Kairi screamed. By the time I got inside the room, the woman and Kairi were disappearing into a portal."

Riku closed his eyes and growled. "Great. So now I have to find Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and Sora while keeping all of you safe. This is just perfect! Danielle's going to have our child in less than a month, and I'll be half-way across the universe!"

"Excuse me, but I can protect everyone here, Riku! I'm not just a little girl, you know! I can help you fight!"

Riku laughed and shook his head. "I know I shouldn't be laughing, but you're just too much. You think that just because you defeated three wannabe tough kids you're the best warrior in the entire world! I can almost guarantee that any of the people the rest of us have fought over the years would be able to kill you simply by pointing their weapons at you. Look, if you want to be helpful to anyone, you'll just stay here and-"

Riku suddenly froze. "Riku?" Ellie reached out to poke him in the arm, but her hand went right though him. When she shrieked and drew her hand back, he disappeared completely. Another gloved hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. A man with shaggy brown hair that needed trimmed badly and deep gray eyes was staring at her.

"What that fake Riku said was true, but only to lull you into a false sense of security. They're trying to capture you. They didn't know I would be coming along to save you. What did I tell you back on the island? 'People are going to die!' And while no people have died, they've suffered an even worse fate: they've been turned into Heartless. Nobody important has been transformed so far, and if you get them out of here, they won't be. Riku, Sora, Donald, Goofy, Kairi, the king… They've all been captured by the Death Eaters, and you and Danielle and the kids will be next if you don't get away from this world. Here." He pulled her hand out and pressed a small block into it. When she looked up at him in confusion, his eyes were full of grief and pride, and tears were threatening to spill out of them. "It's a Gummi ship. I think Dan should be able to fly it. She was the first one of us who could, anyhow, and the best by far. Chin up!" The man turned on his heel, put his hand in front of him, and created a large portal. He stepped into it, and Ellie could have sworn she saw him cover his face and shake his head mournfully.

Ellie looked down at the Gummi in her hand and squeezed it. It squished slightly, but when she opened her fist it immediately fell back into its original shape. Squeezing it tightly once more, she closed her eyes, nodded, and took off running for the stairs.

* * *

"What? Riku…" Danielle collapsed on the plush couch in her cluttered living room and began to sniffle. Sky and Hope, who were pale and trembling, were sitting on the love seat, Hope leaning on Sky's shoulder and patting his hand as he attempted to hide the tears that had begun to stream down his cheeks.

"Danielle, this guy, he mentioned something about you being able to drive this." Ellie fell to her knees in front of Danielle and put out her hand. Danielle opened her eyes and gasped.

"Where did you get that?!"

"That man who told me about Riku and the others. He said, 'Dan should be able to drive this,' and something about you being the best at it… What was he talking about?"

Danielle fell silent for a moment, her eyes glistening with emotion, before taking the ship from her hand and pushing herself to her feet. "It wouldn't be my place to tell you. Let's just say he's someone from a very long time ago. Come on. Sky, can you help Hope get outside? We'll be safe soon, and we can get you both some proper help." When Sky nodded and pushed himself painfully off of the love seat, Ellie was horrified to see that his shirt was dirty and tattered, and he had several deep scratches on his arms and chest.

Ellie jumped over to him and shook her head. "No, I'll help her. You look almost as bad as she does." Sky smiled wearily and followed his mother down the hall as Hope tried to stand up. "Here, Hope, can you climb on my back?"

The girl nodded and clambered clumsily onto her back, clinging to the red- head's battered neck with one thin arm as Ellie half ran outside, where Danielle and Sky were standing in front of a space- shuttle like thing.

"Come on, all of you! We don't have time to dawdle!" A door opened and a set of stairs fell to the ground next to Danielle as she ran her fingers through her curly locks of hair frantically. "Up the stairs, everybody, quickly!" She herded Sky and Ellie onto the stairs, following them as the staircase began to return to the ship.

When Ellie had put Hope on one of the two backseats and buckled herself into the passenger side front seat, Danielle was sitting in the driver's seat with her hands on the steering wheel. Not until a black, twitchy Heartless jumped onto the windshield did she press the button to take the ship into the air. Ellie heard herself join the screams of her three new friends as the ship shot into the air and through the atmosphere of the tiny world, leaving behind her brief home.

"Okay, um, now I think I just… Um, no I think it's this button and that switch, or is it this switch and that button, or maybe I should just turn this knob… Oh crap! We're going to crash into that world!"

All of the occupants shut their eyes and screamed again; it was not until their seat belts unlatched themselves and the door opened that they realized that they had made a perfect landing.

Danielle let out a loud breath of air and closed her eyes. "Whew! I didn't think we were going to make it there for a second! It was almost like the ship knew what to do. I've never seen a Gummi do that before!"

"That's because you've never driven a Disney Castle ship before!" King Mickey's voice appeared so unexpectedly and suddenly that everyone screamed again. "Relax, will ya? I didn't mean to scare you!"

Ellie climbed out of her seat and ran to the little mouse. "Your majesty! I can't believe you're here, I thought you had been captured by the Death Eaters!"

"And so, apparently, did my contact. I gave him this Gummi when he first showed up at the hospital, after Sora and Riku had already been captured."

"Your majesty, do you realize who that was? It was-"

The king held a finger up to his mouth, silencing Danielle. "I know, but I don't think you're supposed to, Danielle. How did you figure it out? Never mind that!" Mickey had just caught sight of Hope and Sky's injuries. "Come on, help me get these two inside. Dr. Quack is waiting for you."

"Dr. Quack? He doesn't sound like a very good physician."

"Aw, he's just one of Daisy's uncles." Mickey led the way out of the Gummi hangar, carrying Hope while Ellie and Danielle supported Sky, who was turning paler and weaker with every step he took.

* * *

When Ellie awoke the next morning, she found herself laying in a sea of pink. Pink sheets, pink pillows, pink wallpaper, pink carpet, even a pink ceiling decorated the room that Queen Minnie had supplied her. Both the Queen and King of Disney Castle had insisted upon their four guests getting some rest before talking about the matters at hand, and Ellie hadn't wanted to argue.

"Oh, you're awake, Miss Mason! At last, I was worried that you had lost your heart already." A thin, elderly man with a long white beard and hair to match was sitting in a plush, pink armchair next to her bed. Ellie pulled the sheets up self-consciously, but the man took no heed. "My name is Merlin. I am a resident of Radiant Gardens, and The King summoned me to help with a young friend of yours. The Princess of Heart, Hope, has been seriously injured, not only physically, but emotionally. When the news that her parents had been captured sank in, she became rather… Subdued, I suppose, and she won't talk to anyone, not even her best friend Sky or Donald's daughter Denise. However, maybe if you talk to her, she'll come out of this ridiculous state. At this rate her melancholy demeanor will be quite enough to summon the Heartless in less than a week, and we can't have that. I need to get back to my home now, but please, help her!"

No sooner had the wizard finished speaking did he disappear, and Ellie shook her head. _What a crazy life I've begun to lead…_

Once Ellie had gotten dressed and found her way to the clinic, she almost cried. Hope was alabaster white, her eyes staring blankly ahead and the breakfast tray on her lap untouched. "Oh, Hope!"

Hope blinked but made no other sign that she had even heard the red- haired girl. "Hope, you need to eat something. You won't be able to help us if you can't stand outside without getting blown away on the breeze! What would your mom say if she saw you right now?"

"… Ellie, go away. I don't want to talk."

Ellie smiled; Hope had finally broken her stony vow of silence. "Hope, I know you're upset, but sitting in bed and refusing to speak, cry, or any of the above won't make the pain go away. Trust me, I know. My whole world was destroyed, and I had to watch my dad, my mom and my best friend disappear before my very eyes, and then I somehow landed on your world. I know how much it hurts, but I also know you can't just lay down and let the circumstances beat you down. Your parents fought through so much the last time this happened, and they came out okay. They're probably scared to death right now, but they also know that you're safe, and that we'll find a way to save them."

A single tear ran down Hope's face before she threw her unbroken arm around Ellie and began to sob. "I want to go home, Ellie! I want my mom and dad and Uncle Riku and Donald and Goofy and everyone back! I want to be able to live normally, I don't want to be a Princess of Heart! Why did this happen to me?"

Ellie hugged her tightly as she sobbed into her chest. "Hope, I know what you're feeling, but I also know that your mother was a Princess, and look at the life she's had! Yeah, there's the occasional day when she gets kidnapped, or her boyfriend turns into a Heartless, but at the end of it all, she'll have lived a pretty good life, and she'll be able to laugh about all of the times she had. Are you going to laugh with her, or cry?" Hope finally drew back and smiled shakily, and Ellie grinned happily at her. "There ya go! Now, I think there's a certain 'best friend forever' of yours who's pretty worried about you, so I'll just send him in now, okay?"

"Okay. And… Thank you, Ellie." Hope began to pick through her massive breakfast as Ellie left the infirmary.

* * *

"Your majesty! I want an explanation, right now! What happened after you left the waiting room, and who is your 'contact', and what is up with everything that has happened to me? I just have to know!"

King Mickey sighed and sat back in his chair. Ellie was glaring at him from in front of his desk in the castle library. "Ellie, I've already told you what happened. Riku, Sora and I were all captured by the Heartless, but I managed to escape. I met up with that my contact after I did so, and he told me that he had taken Hope home already, and that he had seen Danielle and Sky on their way, but that you weren't with them. I told him to find you and give you the Gummi, and I destroyed the remaining Heartless and came back here to wait for you. What more do you need to know?"

"Who is your contact, and how does he know me? Why won't anybody tell me? Why did I get a Keyblade? When and why did I randomly acquire a tattoo and colored streaks of hair, both of which change color? Tell me, please!"

"I don't know how or why the color changing attributes appeared. It could be some kind of magical power finally finding some way to come out, or it could just be that you always had them but something on Maple Brook prevented you from seeing them. I do think that someone knows the answer, but I don't. I don't decide who gets a Keyblade and who doesn't, but Pure Heart chose you, which means you have the power it was searching for in a heart Now, if that is all, we both have things we could be doing that we much more of a help around here."

"Your majesty! You still haven't answered my first question, about your contact, and I'm not going anywhere until you do so." Ellie leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, positively seething. "I only want an answer, sir, and I think I deserve one. Don't you agree?"

King Mickey winced and rubbed his temples. "Ellie, I can't. I made a promise before I even met you, and I won't break it. There are certain people who would ultimately kill him and anyone who got in their way if he was rediscovered, and the more people who know, the faster it will be come public knowledge. Those of us who know him are in danger simply because we know his identity, and he made me promise not to tell _anyone_. I already talked to Danielle, and she has agreed to keep it to herself, as well."

Ellie contemplated him and his answer in silence for several long moments before she stood up. "I understand, Your Majesty. Just… tell him that I'm thinking about him, and that I hope he'll be able to come out of hiding soon, alright?" As she walked out of the library, her head bowed, King Mickey grinned, his eyes darkening.

* * *

Ellie stood just outside of the royal library, straining to keep her anger under control. Scowling in frustration, Ellie walked down the hall and rounded the first corner she came to.

"Hi!"

A duck wearing a navy blue tee, blue jeans and a poofy ponytail of feathers was blinking at her, friendliness gleaming in her eyes. "I'm Denise, but everyone around here calls me Deni. I think you know my dad, Donald. Where is he, anyway? He and Goofy left with the king but never came back. Are they on another adventure with Sora?" Daisy squealed in excitement. "Oh, yay! Maybe they'll get to come back to the castle with him, and then I'll finally get to meet Sora and Riku and Kairi!"

A dog that looked remarkably like Goofy appeared behind Deni. He was wearing a dark green shirt over long jean shorts, and his large eyes were kind of confused underneath his fringe of hair. "Hello, Ellie. I'm Max! It's nice to meet you. I'm Goofy's son, by the way. So… Who caught them?"

"Oh, Max, you silly boy, our dads are just fine, and they're bringing Sora, Riku and Kairi back with them!" Denise giggled. "You're such a worry-wart, Max!"

"But Deni… if Dad and the others were all coming, why wouldn't they have come with the king and Ellie and the others who did come? We know something happened; why else would Hope be covered in bruises and refuse to talk, why would Sky have five sets of stitches? It makes sense, Deni."

"Well, fine, Ellie, would you please prove him wrong and tell us why they aren't here yet?" Deni and Max both looked at her, their eyes silently pleading. Ellie shut her own eyes and breathed deeply.

"I want to, Deni, I want to prove Max wrong so, so bad. I am so sorry." Both Deni and Max gasped slightly, and Ellie could see the tears pooling in their eyes. "They were captured by the Heartless and the Death Eaters, as were Sora, Riku and Kairi."

"What? My dad couldn't be captured by any old Heartless, he's far too powerful for that, Max, she's lying to us! Why would she lie like that?!" Deni began to sob uncontrollably as Max pulled her into his chest and hugged her, tears streaming down his own cheeks.

"Denise? Max? What's going on, Ellie?" Sounding alarmed, Mickey ran up beside Ellie, prompting Deni to turn to him, screaming furiously.

"I'll tell you what's going on! Either your stupid princess is lying or you are, Your Majesty! Our dads… they're safe right now, right? No one captured them?"

Mickey just bowed his head. Max squeezed Deni's shoulder while she hiccupped hysterically. "She didn't mean to be rude, Your Majesty, we both know you never lied to us."

"Why didn't you at least try to save them?" Deni sounded slightly calmer, though her eyes were still streaming tears. "Both of you are just fine! Why didn't you at least try?"

"I'm sorry, Deni, but there was nothing we could do. The king was trying to keep from being captured by some different Heartless in another part of the castle, and the Heartless took them before anyone knew what had happened."

"Max, why don't you take Deni up to her room? She needs to rest." Max nodded to the king and led his friend up the hall, her sniffles and moans echoing far after they had disappeared. As soon as the hall was silent, Mickey rounded on Ellie. "What were you thinking? You never should have told them that, they were too young to hear that!"

"Excuse me, Your Majesty, but they asked me quite clearly. Max already knew something had happened, and Deni probably did, as well, but she just didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to lie to them; that's utter senselessness, kinda like the way you're chewing me out for spilling your secret that never should have been kept from them in the first place."

"I was only trying to protect them! Now we have two more Hope cases on our hands and we have one person to thank!"

"Protect them? Then you should have told them immediately rather than letting them reason it out on their own! They deserved to know, Your Majesty!"

"And when _I_ told them, they would have known!"

"When you told them…" Ellie sighed and tossed her long red mane angrily. "Who were you really trying to protect, Your Majesty, the kids or your own heart?"

The king looked at his shoes until a soft cough sounded from behind him. "Mickey, dear, what's the matter?" Queen Minnie folded her hands and tipped her head. Pluto was a little behind her, his hackles raised slightly.

"I just got a wake-up call, that's all." Clearing his throat, the king looked up and smiled shakily. "Thank you, Ellie. I don't know what got into me for a minute there, but I wasn't thinking, that's all."

The queen and Ellie stared at each other as the King retreated to the library once more, silently asking the same question. _What is going on?_

* * *

Khgirl08: Thank all so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! If you can believe it, I actually wrote this in the middle of July and just neglected to upload it... -le blush-

Ellie: Yep, and remember to review if you want chocolate-covered strawberries or stale cookies!

Khgirl08: … No one likes stale cookies, Ellie...

Ellie: -munchmunch- huh?


	4. Twisted Circumstances

Khgirl08: Hey everyone!

Ellie: On this chapter's edition of "Who Gets the Food", we're featuring the following users and other random people who reviewed:

Danielle (still the real one), Blastbone, and TwiDawnLight! Congratulations, you all get a chocolate-covered strawberry! :D

… Yay! Next chapter's featured people get a piece of peanut butter pie!

Khgirl08: Only if you make it, Ellie… Anyhow, enjoy the chapter and review!

Disclaimer: I no own it if I no own it. Hmph!

* * *

A clatter of footsteps awoke Ellie late in the night. Turning over and mumbling to herself, she didn't hear the door opening until it banged off the wall. Screaming and simultaneously pulling her covers over scantily clad body, she didn't immediately register that the bloated shape that was making its way over to her bed was Danielle.

"Wake up, Ellie, we've got to leave, right now."

"Wha… Dan, it's barely two in the morning We can't leave now…"

"Ellie, get up. The Heartless have found us."

The fear in Dan's voice prompted Ellie to wince and sit up, still holding her blankets over herself. "Okay. Where are the kids and King Mickey and the others?"

"Queen Minnie got up Daisy and her kids plus Max before getting me up, and they were going to get Hope and Sky ready while I came up here. As for the king… Well, he's not coming with us. I'll explain later, just get dressed and come on!"

As soon as Danielle slipped back though the door, Ellie leapt of bed and pulled on the baggy jeans and tank that she was borrowing. "First, find out what's going on; second, buy clothes that actually come close to fitting…"

"What, you still don't like the trashy look?" Porter's sneering voice floated into her ear and made her scream in fright as he wrapped his arms around her. "Honestly, you shouldn't try to change who you know you are on the inside, and you'll always be a little piece of trash. You may be gorgeous, but you're still trash… And I like it _a lot_."

"Young man, please don't damage her yet! The Dark Lord needs her to complete his set, and I need her to bait Rebecca out of hiding." One more distinctive voice floated into the conversation as the man who had randomly shown up in her kitchen back home sat down on her bed. "Of course, a little fun wouldn't hurt either of us, and we're staring at a convenient piece of entertainment, are we not?"

"Oh, so at least you've learned the difference between my mother and I. But how are either of you here?"

Porter's bulky arms cinched tighter around her waist as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck and chuckle softly. "I missed you, my sweet, and the Death Eaters promised you to me if I helped them, and I was granted immunity from any of their sieges. (a/n- I know Voldemort would never let a Muggle like Porter become a Death Eater, but Maleficent convinced him that it would help find Ellie if he did so; he plans to get rid of all of those types as soon as he catches Ellie and Hope. Ok, on with the story!!!) Little KJ and sweet Meika weren't so lucky. As for my new partner, he's always been with the Death Eaters."

"Kid, in how many ways do I have to tell you to stay away from her?!" A third familiar voice rang throughout the room, and Ellie immediately recognized the man with the sad gray eyes as he completely stepped through another portal. "You don't know what a real Death Eater does… Lies. All of it, everything they said, lies, and those liars won't be getting a hold of Ellie Mason, not if I can help it."

Porter raised his head and turned around, taking Ellie's tiny frame with him. "Really, old man, do you think you scare me? I have power the likes of which you could never even dream of. But, hey, I'm easy enough to get along with. Suppose you tell me who you are, and I might just let her go free. Otherwise… I'm afraid that I simply must take her."

"The Dark Lord is quite clever, using my old friend and Ellie to lure me from hiding, but I can tell you that nothing will give away my identity any time soon. Especially not some little boy who should still be sitting on his father's lap and crying during every thunderstorm."

"Oh, maybe you're right. Gee, I dunno… Ellie, baby, what do you think? Am I like you were when you sat on Daddy's lap during the storms?"

Ellie simply narrowed her eyes and jabbed her elbow into his side, causing him to grunt and release her to clutch his side. "No, because I was never as pathetic as you are!" She ran next to the grey-eyed man and summoned Pure Heart, pointing it straight at Porter. "This time, I'm not holding back when you want to run away, baldy."

Porter and his partner grinned before the other man pulled a stick out of his pocket and pointed it at the girl. "I'll make sure you don't have that opportunity, Princess. We need your heart and soul, but if the outside package comes in a little broken, the Dark Lord won't mind." He muttered something under his breath while waving the stick, and a red stream of light zapped towards Ellie.

The man next to her jumped to defend her, summoning another Keyblade and reflecting the spell away. "Go now, Ellie, and fight. I'll protect you."

Ellie nodded and jumped back towards Porter, who swung a massive fist out to meet her. Dodging quickly, she nicked his shoulder. Howling in rage, he began to swing his arms wildly and ran towards her, knocking down one of the bedposts on his way to strike her. She tried to hold up Pure Heart to guard against the attack, but one of his fists caught her jaw, sending her flying into the wall behind her. Jumping up, she dodged a finishing blow from his saucepan sized hands and landed on the bed she had been sleeping in less than five minutes ago. Porter jumped on top of her, grinning cockily until she kicked him in the stomach with both feet and brought her weapon to strike his skull.

He landed on the floor with a dull thud in front of his partner who, glaring at Ellie and the gray-eyed man, grabbed his limp arm and turned on the spot, disappearing just before Ellie's new ally could strike him one last time.

The bravado and courage that had flared up inside Ellie disappeared as the man crossed to her, smiling sadly, and both of the Keyblades disappeared.. "Well done, Princess, well done. You do resemble your mother, although I'm also sure you've heard that far too many times…"

"Who are you, and how do you know me?"

The man laughed, small wrinkles showing up around his eyes. "Wouldn't you like to know. What that Heartless Mickey told you was true, though, and I don't want to be yet another reason for them to kill you."

Ellie gasped in shock. "_Heartless_ Mickey?! You mean that that wasn't actually the king?"

The man shook his head. "No. He's in hiding, but I was able to warn the queen of the situation before he was able to do any damage. That particular Heartless has been disposed of, but this world is going to die. People have already become Heartless, and the Hall of the Cornerstone is being overrun by them. The only ones to make it away were Dan, Queen Minnie, Daisy, all of the kids and Dale. Pluto was the one who tipped us off in the first place; he somehow found his way into the darkness and made it to the king and I."

"Oh… So Hope and Sky are okay? They escaped uninjured?"

"Yes. They are already on Radiant Gardens, I believe. We're to meet them there as soon as possible, but first I must…"

The man was staring off into the distance beyond her bedroom window. "Sir? Hello?" Ellie poked his shoulder, and he shuddered and turned to her.

"Ellie, run. Just keep running, and if I don't find you, don't stop and talk to no one. The cornerstone is about to be destroyed, and just about anything could happen. If the worst happens, someone will be able to rescue you before any harm comes to you." He put a hand in front of the window, and it was suddenly obscured by a purple and black vortex of flames. Turning back around and taking Ellie's hand, he threw into the new portal. "Sorry, Princess!"

Ellie felt herself falling through empty space, nothing but darkness around her, before landing with a thump on hard pavement. "Ow… Why does something like that always happen to me?" Standing up, she saw that she had landed in the middle of an old warehouse that was covered in dust and cobwebs. "Gross… now I probably have spiders nesting in my hair."

Not feeling like running when there was obviously no one around her, she took a couple of steps before stumbling over something soft and black. A black, hooded cape was folded in the middle of the dusty floor, looking remarkably clean and small. When she picked up, it unfolded to reveal a shimmery, feather-weight material that felt like a cloud.

"Hey, maybe if I wear this, no one will be able to recognize me, and I won't have to keep running…" She slipped her arms into the sleeves, loving how it fit her perfectly, and pulled the hood over her hair and face before continuing on her way to the glowing red exit sign on the far wall.

* * *

Raindrops were splashing down onto the ground all around Ellie. She had been ignoring the stranger's advice and walking for several hours rather than running, ever since she had woken from her nap in a relatively clean alley. She had no idea how long she had been gone from the castle, because the warehouse had been in the middle of a city that seemed to be perpetually night, and the few people that had passed her hadn't given her a second glance. The driving rain had driven all of the pedestrians but herself and a shadowy figure who had been following her inside. As much as she would have liked to find shelter, her tail was beginning to gain on her, and she couldn't afford to stop.

Two loud pops announced the arrival of two more people behind her. A muttered word, and three sets of footsteps began to clatter toward her rapidly. She took off at exactly the same time, looking over her shoulder to see three identically robed figures charging towards her. Rounding the next corner she found, she grasped the hood more tightly around her face, trying to make sure no one else saw her and joined the chase.

"Get her!" The people were gaining on her rapidly, and she was beginning to get a stitch in her side. Just as she rounded another corner and tripped on a crack, a strong arm grabbed her by the waist and pulled her into an alleyway, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

"Sh!" Another hand covered her mouth as the arm wrapped around her tighter and pulled her down behind a dumpster which stank of rotten milk and ripe bananas.

"Where'd she go?" The three figures stopped in front of the alley's entrance and scratched their heads in confusion. "I didn't think she knew magic, but it looks like she Apparated, don't it?"

"The Dark Lord won't like this… She's slipped through our hands _again_! And this time she did it by herself, because we have that idiot traitor back in Azkaban… Lets go before she shows up with an army or something…"

The three figures disappeared with a quick turn, and the hands binding Ellie released her. She stood up and peered up and down the alley before creeping around the corner and looking both ways before continuing on her way. Her rescuer followed her, sighing in frustration but not saying anything for several minutes. The rain was now falling in icy sheets, and Ellie began to shiver underneath her new cape.

Finally the person put a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. "Miss, why won't you speak to me? I just saved your life, and you're choosing to ignore me rather than allow me to help you find shelter."

The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but Ellie was too busy trying to concentrate on what the men had said to pay the person any heed. _They said that he was with them in Azkaban… What did they mean, Azkaban, and who were they talking about?_ "Excuse me, sir, but I mustn't speak to you or anyone else. Thank you."

The figure drew his hand back in surprise, and Ellie turned around and began to run down the street again. Footsteps soon pounded beside her, and the man stepped in front of her and stopped, causing her to run into him. "Excuse me, but I need through. Please move."

The man put a tan hand under her chin and lifted her head to look at her. Her hood fell off, but her eyes were locked with his own sapphire ones. It couldn't really be… "Ellie…"

The magic of the moment was broken when Robert whispered her name. Ellie blinked once, then again, but he was still there, staring at her in utter disbelief. A single tear escaped from her emerald eye before she threw herself into his arms and began to sob and laugh at the same time. "Robert, I- I can't believe that you're actually alive! I can't believe I found you!"

"I can't believe that I found you, either, Ellie. I thought that you were dead…" He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the ground, holding her close. "I thought that I had failed you… I'm so sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize for, Robert! I just can't believe that we found each other… Come on, we've got to find shelter before we die from getting a cold, and we have to talk."

"Come on, I know a place that we can go." Robert set her back down and grabbed her hand, causing her to stiffen momentarily. He led her down several more streets before opening the door to the very warehouse that she had landed in. He flipped a light switch, and the filthy interior was exposed. "I know it's kind of nasty, but at least it has a roof…"

"It's fine, Robert. I'm with you now; what do I care about a little grime?" Ellie collapsed onto the floor right where she was and folded her tiny, soaked legs underneath her. "What happened after you sent me away? All that I know is that the man was about to hit you with a stick or something, and you suddenly fell into a portal and disappeared."

"I ended up in here. The only thing I know about the person who brought me here is that he's a really good guy with a lot of problems and a lot of people chasing him." Robert sat down across from her, grinning happily. "He came to me this evening and said that there may be someone who needed me in a little bit, and he sent me to that alley. I'd given up searching for you, because I had searched for two days straight and finally decided that you had been killed or turned into one of those Heartless things. What did happen to you, anyhow?"

"Well…" Ellie told him about the mysterious appearance of Pure Heart, her battle on the island, and how she met the king and the group from Destiny Islands. "… and when I got closer, I realized that the bald guy from earlier had beaten up poor Hope. I sent Sky for help and fought him, which let Hope get away from him. He was way scarier than he had been earlier in the day, and he actually trapped me against a cliff side and…"

"And…"

"And he… kissed me. He would have done it again, but a man in a hooded robe knocked him out before Sora and Riku came. I think he might be the person who rescued you, because he was the only one who would have known I would be in danger. Anyway…" As she recounted the rest of the events that had led her to the warehouse, Robert's face remained calm, but his eyes were filled with concern and fury.

"They didn't seriously hurt you, then? The worst that happened was being kissed?" He cracked his knuckles when she nodded slightly, his face grim. "Well, maybe I'll take that into consideration when I kill all of them. No one messes with you and gets away with it, and no one kisses you. Ever."

"Robert…"

He crawled over to her and put his arms around her again. "I'm serious, Ellie. No one's ever going to hurt you again, not as long as I'm with you." She let her head fall onto his shoulder and her eyes drifted shut. His hand found the small of her back and began to massage it. When she tensed up and drew back, he looked down at her in concern. "Is everything okay, Ellie? You've been jittery all evening. I know you just had a horrible experience, but I'm here now. You don't have to be so worried…"

"I-" She averted her eyes when he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just tired, that's all. I think that we should get some sleep."

"Agreed. Good night, Ellie." Robert stretched out and rolled over. When his breathing slowed, Ellie quietly stood up and went over to the door, sitting down and leaning on the wall right next to it where she could keep an eye on Robert.

"It's so good to see him again, but… I don't know, something just doesn't feel right. He doesn't make me feel the way he used to. He's still so handsome, and yet his eyes just don't look quite right to me, and something just seems a little bit off. Maybe I am just tired."

"Maybe, Princess, or maybe you should be more careful who you decide to hang out with."

"Axel!" _There you are! Where have you been this whole time? Why didn't you warn me about the king or the Death Eaters, and what do you mean that I should be more careful?_

"Sheesh, Princess, you should learn to respect your elders. I'll repeat this one more time: I. Am. Not. A God. Got it memorized?"

_Okay, fine, but what about the cryptic advice? Can't you be a little clearer?_

"That's why it's _cryptic_ advice, Princess, because you have to figure it out all on your own, Ellie. Now, try to get some sleep; that boy's so loud that he'll wake you up the second he moves around, so don't worry about being taken by surprise."

_Okay… Good night then, Axel._

"Good night, Princess." Ellie closed her eyes and immediately felt herself drifting off to sleep. When she reopened her eyes, she was sitting against a stone wall. The sunshine floating through the cave entrance was partially blocked by a shadowy figure, bent over laughing.

When the figure finally made it all the way inside, she heard herself talking to it. "_Robert, why do you laugh every time you see me sitting here? It's not like it's something new or weird or anything…_"

"_I laugh, Mason, because it looks odd to see you sitting on a rock shelf instead of the chairs we brought in here. Every single day, you're sitting there like you never leave at night. I'm not laughing at you, per se, I'm more laughing at… um… Ah, who am I kidding, I'm laughing at you!_"

"_And why do you always- Hey! Stop that, you know I'm ticklish!_" She started giggling uncontrollably when Robert began to run a random feather along the bottoms of her bare feet.

"_Oh, you're ticklish?_" He asked innocently before he began poking her side, causing her to laugh even harder. As soon as she fell off of the shelf, he moved out of the way, laughing even harder when she landed on the floor with a loud thud, still laughing hysterically. "_I didn't know that, Mason!_"

"_Oh, you…_" He pulled her to her feet and their eyes met for a long moment. Ellie blinked and coughed just before she completely lost herself in his bright blue eyes and changed the subject. "_Why do you always call me Mason instead of Ellie?_"

He blew his bangs out of his eyes and sat down on one of the beanbag chairs they had bought three years ago. "_I don't know. I guess because I remember calling your dad Mr. Mason, when I was really little, and I still call your mom Mrs. Mason instead of Rebecca, so I guess you just became 'Mason'. Then I remember thinking you weren't cool enough to have a first name, so I kept calling you Mason if we had to talk. Now it's such a habit that I don't even realize I'm doing it._" He bit his lip and suddenly looked a little nervous. "_It doesn't offend you, does it? I'll just call you Ellie if you want me to…_"

Ellie laughed and sat down in her identical beanbag chair. "_Of course I don't, silly! You're my best friend. I don't care what you call me. But… Does this mean that I can call you Anderson?_"

"_No._"

"_Well, fine then, be that way. Bu at least I'll always be able to tell if someone is pulling the wool over my eyes, although I sincerely doubt anyone would want to pretend to be you…_" The scene rapidly faded into darkness as both teenagers laughed, and Ellie jolted awake, the color rapidly draining from her face when she realized that the impostor was no longer laying on the floor before her.

"If someone is pulling the wool over my eyes… That man isn't Robert."

"What? Of course I'm Robert, Ellie!" She gasped in shock and looked up to see him standing right beside her, smiling broadly down at her. "What are you talking about?"

Ellie stood up and jumped away from him, trying to open the door. He grabbed her shoulder and turned her around, leaning down as if he were going to kiss her. "No! Get away from me, you creep!"

Robert's impersonator drew back and raised an eyebrow at her, the smile slipping off of his lips even though he kept a firm grip on her shoulder. "Creep? Ellie, you aren't thinking clearly or something. Why shouldn't you let your boyfriend kiss you, after you've been separated for so long?"

Ellie glared at him. "I'm not dating Robert, and you aren't him, anyhow." Summoning Pure Heart, she hit him in the stomach and flung herself around, using Pure Heart to break through the door as she ran as fast as she could.

"Ellie, come back!" The impersonator's footsteps clattered out of the warehouse, but she had already turned down the street and was about to hide in the decrepit stoop of a restaurant. "Ellie, don't run from me!"

The figure ran straight past her hiding place, still yelling for her. Trying to stop panting, she took off in the opposite direction, not knowing or caring where she was fleeing to. She pulled her hood back up and clutched it tightly as she ran, her right hand keeping a tight grasp on her Keyblade.

"Ellie! There you are!" The man disguised as Robert jumped out of an alleyway, bringing her to a sudden halt when she ran into him again. "Come on, now, let's go back to the warehouse and talk. You're worrying me, baby."

When he tried to grab her arm, she growled and swung her weapon at him again. Howling in pain, he jumped up and down as he held his knee. "Ow, ow, ow, that _hurts_!!!"

"Stay away from me, you fake!"

"I'm not a…" The man made a strange gurgling noise, and his skin began to twist and bubble. Ellie froze with sickened fascination as Robert's features began to melt together, forming a completely new face. When the man stopped writhing and panting in pain, he was considerably shorter than Robert, balding, and as pale as though he hadn't been out of his house in months. "… fake." The man's real voice still sounded a lot like Robert's. "Stupid potion…"

Ellie shoved the tip of Pure Heart into his neck, not breaking the skin but causing him to tense up and sweat profusely. "Alright, talk. Who are you and what did you do to Robert?"

"I'm not saying anything to the likes of _you_, child." Ellie punched him hard in the stomach, causing him to collapse. She held her Keyblade right in front of him, poking it into his forehead every time he moved. "Alright, alright. My name's Avery. I'm a Death Eater, and I don't normally sound this young. My real voice was covered up by a spell that wand maker Ollivander used on me. As for your little boyfriend, we don't know where he is. Lucius just managed to snatch some hairs from him before he somehow disappeared, and we used them to make the Polyjuice Potion."

"Wand maker? Polyjuice Potion? What are you talking about? And why would you save me from Death Eaters if you're one yourself?"

"You really don't have a clue, do you? I was merely saving the others from harm. You probably would have defeated them far too easily, whereas I have successfully managed to capture you." The man chuckled and stood up so unexpectedly that Ellie almost fell backwards. "I'd love to stay here and chat some more, but I still have to get you back to the Dark Lord, and I don't like to fail."

"Too bad, Sir Avery!" An elderly man's voice appeared out of no where, and though both Ellie and Avery spun around looking for the source, it seemed to be disembodied. "Miss Mason, you must come to Radiant Gardens right now. There are certain barriers that will prevent people such as the Death Eaters from getting to you while you are here, so please come right now!"

"Merlin! I'd love to, but I don't know how!" Avery was grabbing for her wildly by this point, wincing only slightly when she hit her Keyblade on his knuckles. "A little help, please?"

"I suppose." Just as Avery grabbed her hand she felt a cool rush of air, and suddenly she was standing in a cluttered living room. "At last, we have found you!" The wizened wizard who had rescued her was standing in front of a large podium that was almost bent with the immense weight of several books.

"Ellie!" A bundle of burgundy hair and brown skin plowed into her side, sobbing. "Ellie, Ellie!"

"Hope? Are you alright?" Ellie put her hands around the trembling girl, who was looking much healthier than the last time she had seen her.

"We're all fine, Ellie." Danielle was also there, her hands folded over her large stomach and a weary smile on her face. "What about you? We know the king's contact was captured just before the world fell apart, because he escaped soon afterwards and came here to tell us everything up until he was captured, which was right after he sent you away. He wanted to go find you himself, but thought that it would be too dangerous for him if he was spotted by the Death Eaters."

"I'm… okay." Ellie bit her lip as Hope pulled away from her, wiping her blue eyes.

"I was so scared, Ellie. I thought you had been captured, and then the only people I would have had left were Aunt Danielle and Sky, and I didn't want that to happen. Everyone's been worried about you, though, especially since you didn't try to contact us before we left the castle…"

"I'm so sorry, Hope. I'm sorry, all of you. I didn't mean to make you worry…"

Danielle clucked her tongue. "Oh, Ellie!! You did nothing wrong, you silly girl! Now, Hope, you need to get to bed; I promised you that you could stay up until Ellie came or until you fell asleep, so go on." Hope hugged Ellie one more time before bounding off down a long hall.

"Now, Miss Mason, why don't you tell us everything that happened to you after you left the castle, and then we'll find you a bed."

Ellie told her story as briefly as possible, wanting nothing more than to collapse into sleep on a surface that wasn't outdoors, filthy, or rat infested. "Thank you so much for finding me, Merlin. "How long was I there, anyhow?"

"It's been almost four days now, Miss Mason. That world was on of darkness, not exactly the place of choice for a Princess of Heart such as yourself. I honestly have no idea why that stupid man would have sent you there."

"He is not a stupid man, Merlin. That man is one of the bravest and most intelligent people that I have ever met. Was it not over three days before the Death Eaters found her? That dark world was probably the last place they expected to find a Princess of Heart. He couldn't send her here, because he didn't know if it was safe already or not, and he wanted to give you more time to set up the defenses before he sent their number one target here." Danielle was glaring at the wizard, and Ellie suddenly remembered something.

"Dan! You know him, don't you? Did you tell the Heartless king? Is that how they found us?"

Danielle sighed and laughed slightly. "No. He asked me not to repeat his name, especially in front of you, but never mentioned it himself. It made me suspicious, so I didn't actually say his name. And I'm still not going to, so just forget about asking me."

"Oh, fine…" Ellie yawned widely and rubbed her eyes. "How is it that the last time I saw Hope she had bruises, cuts and a broken arm, and now she's perfectly fine?"

"Oh, yes. Another resident of Radiant Gardens, Aerith, knows a rather powerful healing spell that came in quite handy for all of the injuries. Even Danielle, in the fragile state that she is in at the current time, had to fight to get out of the grasps of the Heartless and escape Disney Castle." Merlin blew a long white strand of hair off of his forehead and began singing under his breath. "To and fro, stop and go, that's what makes the world go round…"

"Ellie, why don't I show you to your room? You look like you haven't slept for days."

"That would be great, Danielle. Thank you so much."

* * *

Ellie fell to the ground, seemingly dazed. A woman with short black hair was standing over her triumphantly, a large ninja star in each hand.

"Get up, Ellie!"

"Come on, Ellie, you can do it!"

"Ellie! Ellie! Ellie!"

The black haired woman turned to look at the collection of spectators who were watching the training session incredulously, her dark brown eyes wide. "Isn't anyone rooting for me? Come on, Taylor, you aren't going to root for your boyfriend's mom? Christopher, how can you turn against your own mother like this, especially since you only met my opponent four days ago?!"

"Sorry, Mom, but Ellie actively campaigns for our support. How could I resist?" The man who responded looked nothing like his mother; his light brown hair fell across his forehead in long spikes, partially obscuring his icy blue eyes.

Ellie seized the distraction to jump back to her feet and swing Pure Heart into the side of the woman's neck, stopping just short of actually hurting her. "Gotcha, Yuffie! Don't be distracted during battle, silly!"

"Darn it!" Yuffie shook her head and sighed once Ellie had lowered her blade, smirking. "I'm too old for this kind of stress!"

"Aw, you're not old, Yuffie!" Deni, Max, Sky and Hope had also been watching the match and cheering for their red- haired friend.

"Yeah, Merlin's the old one!" Max nodded his head vigorously. "Is it my turn yet?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I just finished one session, give me a break." Yuffie smiled and shook her head. "I think we all need to eat something before anything else. That mock battle lasted much longer than I thought it would have. Let's go, everyone!"

Still smirking from her victory, Ellie followed the others inside. It had been four days since she had been rescued from Avery's clutches, and she was already winning battles against her first real teacher. Hope and Sky turned around, looked at each other, and approached Ellie, who stopped to talk to them.

"Ellie?"

"Yes, Sky?"

"We want to go with you when you leave."

"What?"

Hope shuffled her feet and blushed. "We know we probably shouldn't, but we want to help find our parents. That's what you're doing, right?"

Ellie sighed. "Yes, it is, but-"

"But what? If you're going to search for our parents, who could possibly be of more help to you than us? We know them better than you or anyone else on this planet does, and that could be vital to finding their hiding places."

"I'm sorry, but I can't allow you two to put yourself in danger by rescuing… Wait, hiding places?"

Both kids nodded solemnly. "We think that our dads, at least, are just hiding because they don't know where we are and want our help. Maybe they're on one of the planets that my dad saved from the Heartless."

"Yeah, and like I said, we could be real important to finding out which one they're on."

Ellie closed her eyes, trying not to cry. "Listen, both of you. Your fathers have both been captured by either the Death Eaters or the Heartless, who are for all purposes one and the same. I couldn't possibly risk either of you by taking you behind their lines. This actually makes me think of another conversation that we need to have. Come over here with me." Ellie led the way to a shaded grove near their training grounds and sat on a large boulder in the middle. The kids sat on either side of her as she began to speak. "I know this is going to be hard to hear, but you can't trust anyone who isn't here on this planet right now."

Sky jumped up, looking furious. "You mean you don't want me to trust my own dad?!"

"Sky, that's not exactly what I meant…"

"What did you mean, then?!" Sky's brown eyes were boring angrily into her own.

"I mean that I want you to be careful. If anyone you think you know and can trust just randomly shows up, be careful. Don't blindly listen to them, because if you do you're open to attack."

"But, Ellie! If my mom and dad show up again, I'm going to listen to them and trust them!"

"Hope, Sky, listen. I'm not saying don't trust them, but be observant. Sky, if your dad comes here and doesn't check on your mom at any given opportunity, then maybe it isn't really your dad. Or, maybe Kairi comes and she doesn't seemed worried about the fact that you are definitely a Princess of Heart, Hope, then it could be that she isn't who we think she was."

"Why would you think such a thing could happen to us? You know that Radiant Gardens is protected by Merlin's magical powers!"

"I found out the hard way. My friend, Robert… I've told you some things about him, right? Well, when that man sent me away from Disney Castle, I thought I found him. It was like a dream come true, because I thought he was dead before that. I was ready to go anywhere and do anything almost without caring at first, just because he was with me. When I began to notice something just a little off, I tried to play it down, but it turned out that it wasn't really him. The person I thought was Robert was actually a Death Eater in disguise, and would have taken me captive for sure if I hadn't realized that he wasn't calling me by my surname, like Robert always has and said he always would. Even when I realized the truth, I was still almost captured before Merlin found me." Ellie's throat closed up a little. "The next time they try that, I'll be ready. I know now that I'll never see Robert again, not in this lifetime."

Hope and Sky were silent, their eyes huge and terrified. They obviously hadn't realized how easy it would be for them to be captured by Maleficent or her allies.

"Ellie! Ellie, Hope, Sky get over here this instant!" An older woman who was wearing a lot of pink rushed into the grove, terror written all over her expression. "Merlin's defenses have been broken somehow, we have to stay inside his house at all times, it's the only safe place until Merlin can restore his protection over the whole world!"

Ellie leapt to her feet and pulled hope up as well, batting the tears from her eyes. "Sky, go with Aerith and protect her; Hope, you're with me."

The kids nodded and the four of them rushed from the trees. Ellie's heart felt like it had moved to her throat. Aerith and Sky rounded the final corner before Ellie and Hope did, and Ellie saw them holding the door open for the two of them. She heard a series of popping noises when she was about three strides from the door, and without thinking did the first thing that came to mind. "Sorry, Hope, I'll be back!"

She picked up the screaming nine year old and threw her as far and as fast as her slight frame would allow, and Hope amazingly sailed through the open door as a sea of black robes converged upon Ellie. Hands were grabbing at her, but she ducked down and summoned Pure Heart, sweeping it in a wide circle, taking all of the Death Eater's feet from under them. As she jumped up and was about to run, another one popped in next to her and grabbed her elbow before turning sharply. With a feeling similar to that of being forced through a straw, Ellie was pulled off of her feet. After what seemed like several seconds of not being able to breath, see, hear, or feel anything, she and her captor landed back in the same grove she had just come from.

"Let go of me! Help!"

"Would you shut up, Princess?! Do you want the others to find us?"

"Yes! No! I mean, I want my friends to find us! I can't fight all of you Death Eaters by myself!"

"I am your friend, Ellie!" The person finally slipped his hood down, and Ellie screamed again. The person standing in front of her was a young version of the man who had taken her father. His blonde hair was slicked back rather than hanging to his shoulders, and his eyes were gray instead of blue, but those were the only differences in their appearances. He smiled slightly and shook his head. "I may look like my father, Lucius Malfoy, but I'm not. My name is Draco, if you don't mind, and I'm nothing like him. Not anymore…"

"Why should I trust you? Give me one good reason that I shouldn't destroy you right now!" Ellie re-summoned Pure Heart, which had disappeared without her realization, and Draco laughed aloud.

"Please, Ellie. I don't think that would help against me. I could have taken you straight to the Dark Lord. Unlike that ridiculous Porter character and Avery, I don't just let my prey sit around until I feel like I've had enough fun. No, I'm not one to fool around. Let me ask you something, Miss Mason." Ellie jumped a little when he casually put an arm around her shoulders. "Do you trust the king?"

"Of course I do, but anyone could say that the king trusted them."

"But not everyone could say the king followed them to the battle to help out." Mickey's sudden appearance caught Ellie off guard, and she tried to shriek again. This time, Draco gasped as well and put his hand over her mouth and held another one of the stick things that the Death Eaters had all used against her to her neck while whispering in her ear.

"Another Death Eater is about to come past here. This grove should be all but invisible to them, but just in case I need to make it look like I've captured you."

Sure enough, a black robed figure prowled past the entrance to the clearing, and Ellie heard Draco grit his teeth. The man was Lucius Malfoy, and he was livid. The moment Lucius had turned on his heel and disappeared, Draco released Ellie and turned to the king, who was hiding in the shadows. "Your majesty, why are you here? I thought we agreed that you shouldn't come back here just yet!"

"Yes, but I knew you would have a problem convincing Ellie to trust you after her run in with Avery. Anyhow, Ellie, Draco used to be a very loyal Death Eater, but he turned against them when his father killed his mother on the command of the Dark Lord. He really is on our side now."

"O-okay…"

"Good. Now, Ellie, here's the plan. The Death Eaters don't know that I've turned spy, and I was actually assigned to capture Hope by any means possible. The defenses around Merlin's house are crumbling as we speak, and that leaves me very little time to get her out of there. I'm taking her to another planet and leaving her with some of her father's old friends, but I can't tell you where. The more people who know…"

"The greater chance there is that more will find out. I know, I know, but won't they realize that something is up when you show up without her?"

Draco smiled easily, and Ellie was slightly awestruck by how handsome he was. "You are a bright girl, aren't you? Princess, that is where you come in. Once I get Hope and begin to take her away, you must pretend to strike me with your blade just before I Disapparate. If someone is hit just as they Apparate, things can sometimes go slightly awry. Anyhow, just make sure you don't actually hit me, or I could lose Hope. Do you understand?"

Ellie looked from Draco to the king and back to Draco before nodding. "Alright. I don't like it, I'm not even sure I understand it, but I'll go with it."

"Good. Let's get going, then." Draco disappeared and the king stepped through a portal, and Ellie was left to run as fast as she could back to Merlin's house.

The streets were chaotic. Death Eaters were everywhere, breaking into stores and chasing people from their houses. None of them noticed the redhead as she dodged flying debris and panicked crowds of people. Merlin's house was half destroyed by the time she made it back, and she was stopped by two kids running into her. "Sky, Hope, what's going on?!"

"They got into the house, and they have my mom!" Sky's cheeks were dirty and stained with tears. "A blond man grabbed her and said he would kill her if they didn't find you!"

Ellie cursed and looked back to the house. Yuffie, Christopher and Max were all engaged in battle with Death Eaters who didn't seem to have any of the sticks that most seemed to have, while Deni, Taylor and Merlin were shooting brightly colored spells at others. Aerith was standing behind a large chunk of wall, sending her powerful healing magic to her comrades. Minnie, Daisy and David were nowhere to be seen. "We have to get out of here, you two. Come on, follow-"

"Wait! Sky, come here and bring Hope!" A familiar voice shouted from behind Ellie, and the three friends whipped around to see none other but Riku standing in the middle of the cluttered street. "Get away from her, she's not really a Princess at all, she's with the Death Eaters!"

"How dare you! Where's your proof of that?!" Ellie responded, shoving Sky and Hope behind her, though Sky was about three inches taller than she was and Hope was getting there. "You're not even the real Riku, are you?"

"Sky, are you going to listen to this girl you barely know, or are you going to believe your own father?"

Sky peered over Ellie's shoulder and responded slowly. "I don't know if you are my father or not."

Riku snorted and was suddenly just in front of Ellie. "Get out of the way, 'Princess!'" He swept Ellie away like a rag doll, and she fell hard on her hip. "Sky, I'm telling you, I'm here to save you and Hope. The king sent me! Take my hand, son, and we'll get out of here."

Sky hesitated before stretching his hand out slowly. He looked Riku in the eye, and then his gaze flickered to Ellie for a split second before he swatted Riku's hand away. "You aren't my dad! My real dad would try to save my mother, too!"

Riku picked Sky up by the front of his shirt and lifted him until their noses were almost touching. Ellie tried to leap to his rescue, but two enormous Death Eaters suddenly grabbed her and held her back. "What would I want with your mother? She's no good to me anymore; her heart is too full of light. I only want you now, Sky! Join me, and we'll get rid of her forever!"

Riku's voice began to blend with another one, and his eyes flickered slightly red. Sky spat in his face and kicked his stomach, falling hard when Riku dropped him but standing back up immediately, his arm bent oddly and bleeding. "Fine. Draco, get the girl!!!"

Ellie screamed fiercely and tugged hopelessly to get away from the Death Eaters. HEr strands of color changing hair, which she had all but forgotten about, suddenly glowed white. The men who were holding her began to glow the same color, and their knees buckled simultaneously. Draco had Hope in his grasp now, and Ellie summoned Pure Heart and swung it just short of his neck, just as she had done to Yuffie earlier. He screamed loudly, but was already turning. He disappeared with Hope, and every other Death Eater plus Riku followed him.

"Ellie!" King Mickey came rushing from down the street a piece. "Ellie, we've gotta get going, right now!!!"

"Wait! We can't go anywhere yet! The others-"

"-will be fine for now. I found Minnie hiding out with Daisy, David and Taylor, so they all know part of what happened. Hope isn't our biggest concern now, either. In fact, I don't think we should get to her for a while yet, because it would look far too suspicious if we already knew where she was going to be. I didn't figure they'd go after Danielle, though. That must be how they're controlling Riku. Come on, let's go, I'll explain everything I can in a moment!"

The king opened a dark portal and pulled Ellie through it. They landed on a barren island. There Ellie could plainly see that nothing could exist for more than a couple days on the island, owing to the fact that it floated in the middle of a pool of darkness and the fact that there was no plant or animal life anywhere, but she still felt like she was being watched. "Where are we, Your Majesty?"

Mickey kicked aside a small rock, revealing a small latch. "My hideout. Come on, get inside." He took out his Keyblade and tapped the latch twice. A small door swung downward, and the king jumped into it. "Follow me, Ellie!"

Ellie took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped in, not quite knowing what to expect. For five or six seconds she was falling, and then she hit grass. When she opened her eyes, she was outside of a large and ornately decorated cabin, with trees shading the luscious green yard and a flowery scent wafting from a garden behind the cabin. "How did we get here?"

"That's a secret that has been passed down for many ages. My contact has actually been staying here for several years now, but he's in Draco's world right now, spying. There is someone else here, though, who I think you'll be very happy to see."

A hunched over figure walked around the cabin as he said this, and Ellie's jaw dropped.

LINE (oh yeah, what now?)

Ellie: Wait… Khgirl08, you forgot to write who it was…

Khgirl08: -evil snicker-

Ellie: Hey, you better not be leaving us hanging off a cliff!

Khgirl08: -evil chuckle-

Ellie: I'm warning you…!

Khgirl08: -evil laughter-

Ellie: -rolls eyes and throws stale cookies at Khgirl08, knocking her out-

Khgirl08: -is knocked out-

Ellie: Just remember to review! :D


	5. A Tale of Two Girls

Khgirl08: -holds a large pack of ice to her head- I'm back, but I'm still mad about that cookie incident, Ellie…

Ellie: -laughs ebilly-

Khgirl08: Why are you laughing ebilly instead of evilly? O.o

Ellie: You had the evil part down last chapter, so I thought I'd break the monotony a little bit. :D

Khgirl08: -sighs- Fine. But, yeah, I'm branching out a little in this chapter, actually. I'm definitely NOT focusing solely on a certain eBil redhead…

Ellie: -le sob- Why not?!?!?!?! -sniffle- Oh, yeah, before I forget, I'm giving out freshly made peanut butter pie this time around! The recipients are:

Danielle (the un-pregnant version who I'm roomies with…) and TwiDawnLight!

And if you review this chapter, I shall give you ice cream cake. I'm running out of recipe cards to sort through for yummy foods, so if you have any requests for a special review treat I would be more than happy to accept them. ^.^

Khgirl08: -mutters- You don't have to worry about buying the ingredients, though…

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter (in fact, this whole story is written completely disregarding the events of Deathly Hallows, if that clears up any confusion that may begin in this chapter) or Kingdom Hearts or ice cream cake… Though I do wish I owned a really big slice of that right now…

~*random note*~ I know this is kind of weird, but I'm going through some really bad times right now, and I just want all of you guys who actually read this story to keep me in your thoughts, please… Or prayers, if you're like me and pray… Thank you! ~*end random note*~

* * *

"Grandma!" Ellie ran into the arms of Abbie, crying from a mixture of weariness and sheer relief. "Grandma Abbie, I can't believe that it's really you!"

Abbie nodded. "Unfortunately, dear, I can't help you very much right now. That's why I'm here, hiding from all of the danger instead of stopping it." She sighed and released her granddaughter, smiling at her appearance. "Dear, dear, I certainly am glad I grabbed some of your clothes from home before I came here. Look at your outfit, it looks like it's two sizes too big all over!"

Ellie giggled a little bit and wiped her eyes. "Well, it is, I guess. I borrowed it from Danielle, Riku's wife. I think you might know her, actually. She grew up with Mother and Dad and Edward."

Abbie gasped. "Oh, you're kidding me?! Little Danielle grew up and got married?! Gracious sakes, I haven't seen her since she was your age, how is she doing?"

"Um… Well, she was pretty good. She has a son who's ten years old, Sky, and she's about to have another baby. I think she's a teacher… Unfortunately, these bad guys called Death Eaters captured her, and then the king brought me here, and I don't even know what all else…"

Abigail's eyes hardened. "The Death Eaters… They made it to Radiant Garden?"

"Yes, but how did you-"

"I've been keeping her updated on all the going-on's, and that was a big one." King Mickey shook his head. "Abbie, do you think that you could possibly-"

Abbie held up a hand. "Your Majesty, forgive me, but no, I can't. I'm just too old to fight anymore, particularly without even a wand to help me. I must not hinder the fight by attempting to help when I know it will be useless."

Ellie looked between the two; Abigail's eyes were full of distraught and vulnerability, while Mickey's were slightly angry, and he looked and sounded fed up. "Abbie, why won't you even try?!"

"I did, and it almost cost me the life of my granddaughter." Abbie turned around and walked into the small cabin as the king sighed.

"Your majesty, why is she acting like that? What won't she try to do?" Ellie stared at the king, who was now shaking his head slowly and massaging his temples.

"Ellie, there's a lot you need to understand about your family, and about me. Where should I begin…" Mickey began pacing as he thought.

"How about telling me why Grandma Abbie has a wand, did she say?"

"That much should be obvious. Your grandmother is a witch, as are your mother and yourself." Ellie cocked an eyebrow, and Mickey chuckled. "Well, ya see, I met your family many years ago, back when I first left Disney Castle to discover what all the disturbances were about. Your mother was just a bit younger than you are now, actually. Anyhow, Maple Brook was one of the first places attacked by the Heartless, so I went there to try to help any survivors escape before the planet totally collapsed. Imagine my surprise when I discovered two women with wands trying to destroy all of the Heartless that were attacking the citizens! With my help, the Heartless there were actually defeated, and Maple Brook was saved."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this when we first met? It would have been helpful to know…"

Mickey shrugged. "It didn't seem too important right then. All I cared about was the fact that Maple Brook had been destroyed by the Heartless. In fact, it didn't even register that your mother and grandmother were Rebecca and Abigail Swallow from all those years ago until Danielle asked about them, and by then I was more worried about the fact that they had disappeared. You see, your family has powerful magic, powerful enough to almost obliterate an entire army of Heartless, so I knew then something must have been horribly wrong if your mother had been overpowered.

"When I left with Sora and Riku to fight the Heartless in the hospital I was almost caught by Maleficent. Luckily, when I saw Sora and Riku get captured, I escaped before she could get to me. I came straight here, only to discover that my contact had brought yet another refugee of Maple Brook to my hideout, and that it was Abigail from so long ago. She wasn't the bubbly, exciting person she had been when I first met her, though. No, she simply sat in a rocking chair and stared out the window all day, according to my contact. He couldn't even get her to listen to a word he said, because she was convinced that he was an illusion."

Ellie, who was sitting down on the steps leading to the front door by this point, shook her head. "I don't understand, Your Majesty. If he rescued her, then why wouldn't she believe that he existed?"

"Well, he refused to show his face because he was afraid of her, actually. You see, they know each other from quite a long time ago, and he didn't want to make her any angrier than she already was towards him. Abbie is a very powerful witch, top-notch, actually, and when the Heartless attacked Maple Brook she was almost captured by some Death Eaters. They had no idea who she was, however, and she defeated them immediately. She searched around a bit for the source of the Heartless until another Death Eater found her and started a duel. She had almost defeated him when he Apparated away."

Ellie interrupted him yet again. "Your majesty, I heard that word when I was being chased by Death Eaters before Merlin found me, and Draco mentioned it, too. What does it mean, exactly?"

"It's how magical people travel. They turn on their heel and concentrate, and they can warp somewhere instantly. Now, getting back to my story…" Mickey coughed slightly. "Abbie couldn't follow him at first, because she had absolutely no idea where he had gone, but she finally Apparated to a street in downtown Maple Brook to look around, and lo and behold she found you. You were about to be captured by the Death Eater who had fled from the duel earlier, and she decided to send you back to your house, away from the battle. After you were gone, the Heartless converged upon her, and she was forced to destroy them, all of them." Ellie moaned and covered her mouth as tears began to glitter in the corners of her eyes. "When she had defeated all of them, the Death Eater attacked her. It was a brutal fight, and he ended up fleeing yet again.

"Abbie went straight to your house, hoping that you would still be there, but you had already disappeared. She packed up some things for the two of you and was going to set off in search of you once more, but another Death Eater discovered her presence. Apparently this Death Eater was much better than the first, because she ended up losing the ensuing duel after mere minutes. Just as he sent a killing curse her way my contact found her and pulled her through a portal to safety. He brought her here, where she stayed silent and angry until I arrived and coaxed the story out of her. Even now, she still refuses to help us fight. I guess she is getting older, but she is still extremely capable, right?"

Ellie nodded sadly. "Grandma Abbie can do anything… Your Majesty, are you sure that I have magical powers? I don't know that I've done anything that could be considered magic."

"Yes you have, actually. You managed to evade capture from those Death Eaters for quite sometime. For some reason they couldn't directly Apparate to you and just snatch you away. No, they were forced to chase you like any normal person. And remember when I mentioned earlier that your hair streaks could be the result of magical abilities? Well, that wasn't just a random theory, I was being completely serious. I'm sure that you were showing signs as a child, as well, but your mother probably just ignored them or made something up to explain the phenomena to you."

"Okay… But if my mom and grandma are such great witches, why didn't they ever tell me? What did they think would happen?" The front door slammed and Abigail slowly descended the steps.

"Oh, Ellie, you have to understand where we were coming from." Abigail sat down next to Ellie and closed her eyes. "We wanted to tell you, but it was far too dangerous. When your mother had just left Hogwarts, the school of magic that both of us attended, a dark wizard reared his head and became known as the Dark Lord. Most of the magical community is afraid to speak his name, but a few of us called him by his true name- Tom Riddle or Voldemort. Your mother and I joined a force called the Order of the Phoenix that was created with the sole purpose of bringing him down. Mind you, most witches and wizards live on my home planet, The World of Magic."

"Wait, you aren't from Maple Brook?!" Ellie was so shocked by this revelation that her voice rose an octave. She coughed slightly before continuing, her voice back to normal. "Grandma Abbie, you mean to tell me that Mom didn't go to school in Maple Brook, that she went to school on another planet?! How is that possible?!"

Abbie laughed. "Well, dear, you're on another planet right now, aren't you?"

Ellie blushed slightly. "Well, this is a little bit different. I mean, Maple Brook was destroyed, and now we have Gummi ships and stuff…"

Both King Mickey and Abigail laughed this time. "Oh, Ellie, Gummi ships have been around for quite a long time, far longer than you have!" Abbie finally managed to calm herself down enough to continue her story. "However, I do understand what you're trying to say. The truth is, I married a Muggle, or non-magical person, who I met while taking a tour of the different worlds after I left Hogwarts. He was a Gummi pilot, your grandfather was, and he and I moved to Maple Brook where we had your mother. It was quite a shock to all of us when, mere days after your mother was born, it became impossible to travel to other worlds via Gummi ship. Of course, the residents of Maple Brook were still able to leave our planet, but we weren't able to visit The World of Magic or anywhere else. It was quite distressing."

"So, how did you manage to send Mom to school at Hogwarts, then?"

"Amazingly, we figured out that we were able to Apparate to The World of Magic. Unlike yourself, Becca always knew she was a witch, and she wanted desperately to go to Hogwarts and learn to use magic. Well, imagine our surprise when my older brother Albus showed up with a letter of acceptance for her! She was so excited to finally be going to Hogwarts and learn how to control her abilities… It did cause a few problems in Maple Brook. She had to come up with something to explain to her friends Edward and Danielle why she wouldn't be attending the sixth grade with them that year, and why she wouldn't be able to write or see them until the holidays.

"Eventually, she just gave in and told them all about Hogwarts and magic, which they believed only when she came back after her first term there with a wand and a her entire stock of spell books. Naturally they couldn't tell anyone else, and until your mother fell in love with Ryan Mason most everyone believed that she was simply going to some boarding school outside of Maple Brook, a place that didn't exist anymore then than it does now. That summer changed everything an awful lot…"

"Is that when you and Sora defeated the Organization, Your Majesty?"

Mickey nodded. "I believe so, yes. See, for a while after peace finally returned, the pathways that connected the worlds came into full existence once again. My guess is that Danielle's family was originally from the Destiny Islands, and they wanted to return there while they had the chance. A lot of families traveled across the galaxies to get home during that time period."

Abbie nodded. "Yes. We actually thought about leaving Maple Brook for a bit to go back to The World of Magic, but before we came to a final decision the gates closed. Your mother was heart-sick; one of her best friends had moved to another world, and the other found himself suddenly interested in going out with other girls instead of hanging out with her. That's also the same time that she discovered something that really scared her.

"You see, at Hogwarts there are four houses of students: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. Becca and I and probably everyone else in our family was in Gryffindor. The houses were all a little competitive, but none hated each other as much as Gryffindor and Slytherin. That summer a boy named Cyrith Yaxley (a/n: Yaxley never has a first name, so I asked Danielle for one and that's what she came up with. Thanks, Dan! :P heehee) moved to Maple Brook. Yaxley, now, he was a rough character, from Slytherin, and he developed an unhealthy obsession with your mother, even though he was a year or so older. He would call on her at all hours or phone her if he wasn't able to come over, he followed her everywhere she went, and his friends spied on her if he wasn't able to. It was just plain scary, Ellie, just awful."

Ellie's mind was beginning to be overrun with all of the unanswered questions she had, and she couldn't help but blurt one of them out. "Grandma Abbie, what did he look like?"

"Erm… Not too great, actually. Let me see, he was rather tall, long dark hair, oily skin and a voice to match… And he had very, very dark eyes, almost black, I would say. He was always either smirking or scowling, never any pleasant expressions on his face, and there was just something about him that scared everyone who met him, especially your mother. She tried to ignore him, but it became nearly impossible. She was having to deal with the loss of her best friends and the unwanted affections of this wizard, and on top of all of that Ryan Mason turned up in her life.

"Ellie, I will put this as lightly as possible: your father was not always a good person. He used to be friends with Yaxley, actually, which his how he came to be friends your mother in the first place. They hated each other until Yaxley came along. It was Becca who finally convinced Ryan that he shouldn't be friends with Yaxley anymore, because it would only lead to disaster. Her words came true on Yaxley's seventeenth birthday, the day that he was legally allowed to use magic outside of school. As soon as he woke up that morning, he headed for our house. Ryan was there, too, trying to get your mother to go out with him. Yaxley didn't like that idea too much, so he decided to try to curse Ryan. I put a stop to that, and after a few well-aimed charms and spells he turned tail and ran, never to set foot upon our doorstep again. Of course, he still saw Becca at school the next year, but they generally ignored each other."

Ellie nodded slowly. "I think he came to our house before the attack, Grandma."

Abbie gasped. "Yaxley came back? I knew he was a Death Eater, but I never expected him to… Ellie, was he looking for you or your mother?"

"He thought I was Mom. He wanted to 'sweep me off my feet,' or some nonsense like that, and he didn't believe that I was Rebecca Swallow's daughter. It was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard. He also came back, at Disney Castle. He knew who I was that time, and he wanted to kidnap me and take me to the Death Eaters. That strange man who brought you here helped me, though." Ellie sighed and stared at her grandmother. "Grandma Abbie, who is he?"

Abbie laughed. "Oh, Ellie, I can't tell you that. He didn't even want me to know, but I am glad I do. It won't make much of a difference, though, since I'm probably not going to be at much of a risk to be captured."

"Abbie, we need your help. You have to help us avenge the death of your brother, doesn't that matter at all to you?" Mickey was glaring at her. "He died to help all of us, and it's time we repaid the debt. Abbie, please, why won't you give it another shot?"

Abbie frowned back at him. "Your majesty, it is useless. I am not physically capable of helping anymore. I'm just too old…"

Ellie rolled her eyes. "No offense, Grandma, but you may be the fittest lady your age I know. If this were just a competition for fun I would understand if you didn't want to compete, but this isn't fun for any of us. A nine-year old girl and a ten-year old boy have already offered to help us fight, but they're too young. You have more experience than anyone else in this battle, Grandma, and we need you badly. If not for me, if not for the king, then at least help us for Mother."

Abbie sighed. "Ellie… What about your father, young lady?"

"Don't change the subject, Grandma. To answer your question, though, my dad is dead. I gave up on ever finding him years and years ago. When the man who made him leave showed up back in Robert's house, I thought for a moment that I had found a way to find him, but now I know that that particular person doesn't just make men disappear, he kills them. Daddy is dead, Robert probably is, and I don't want any of my friends or family to follow in their footsteps. We need you to help us, Grandma, please…" Ellie buried her face in her knees and began to cry. "He took Danielle, Grandma, and if we don't rescue her soon he will kill her. She has a family, and she's about to have a baby! You have to help us find her, Grandma!"

Her familiar emerald eyes glittering with emotion, Abbie shook her head. "I just don't know… Getting back to what you originally asked, Ellie, when your mother and I joined the Order of the Phoenix we had absolutely no idea what we were getting ourselves into. In fact, by the middle of the war your mother was so frightened that she almost refused to marry your father. She was scared that Voldemort would come after him to get to her. She was probably one of the best members of the Order at the time, and definitely the top international and interplanetary member, and Voldemort had made several attempts on her life.

"Your father finally convinced her that he would rather die than live without her, and they were married. You were born on Halloween the following year. When you were born, she was instructed to take a sixth month break from all Order activities, and she did so. Sixth months turned into a year, and suddenly the war was over. Your first birthday brought the end of the war and the deaths of two of your parents' best friends, Lily and James Potter. Voldemort tried to kill their son, but the curse backfired because of Lily's love and ended up almost destroying Voldemort instead."

"What about their son? Was he alright?"

Abbie smiled and nodded. "Yes, he survived. He was raised by Muggles, and when he turned eleven he learned the truth about his abilities and his parents' deaths, and he went to Hogwarts, but I'm assuming you'll find out more about Harry Potter a little bit later. Moving on, your mother was horrified by the events surrounding the destruction of Voldemort. Your parents were some of the few who always believed that Voldemort would return, one day, and they were quite right. They vowed to protect you at any cost, any cost at all, and they decided that they would never mention The World of Magic again, go to Hogwarts or any other places on that planet, or tell you about your magical abilities. I know that something happened when you were three, Ellie, that caused your father to disappear, but I'm not exactly sure what it was…"

The memory of her father's disappearance swarmed over Ellie's mind once more, and she scowled in rage. "Lucius Malfoy…"

"Lucius… Oh, how I despise him… He was after your mother, Ellie. He had quite an obsession with her, actually, probably because the Dark Lord had assigned him to capture or kill her. He and your father actually met, just once, and they took an instant disliking to each other because of Becca. You're probably quite lucky that you don't look like him, because he probably would have killed you on sight." Abigail stood up and stretched. "I don't know if I have it in me any more, Your Majesty, but I'll think about it…"

Mickey nodded. "That's better than not thinking about it at all, isn't it?"

Abbie smiled slightly. "Yes, I suppose so."

"Your Majesty, I want to find Danielle. We have to find her." Ellie stood up as well, flexing her fingers. "I'm going to rip Lucius Malfoy limb from limb if he hurt her or her baby, and depending on my mood when I get my hands on him I might go ahead and do it even if she doesn't have a single hair misplaced."

Mickey smiled. "Yes, I thought you might say something like that. I think I know where she is, and it shouldn't be too dangerous. In fact, I should be getting some information on her location in a couple minutes…"

A couple minutes dragged by; slowly but surely they became a half hour, then one full hour, then one and a half hours. As Ellie began to pace back and forth for the umpteenth time, someone landed lightly on the grassy yard underneath the trap door; it was the man who kept rescuing her. "Your Majesty, I have good news. Danielle is safe, and the world Lucius hid her on is still at Radiant Gardens."

Mickey smiled broadly. "Good! Now, Ellie, let's go!"

Ellie was frozen in place; something had just clicked in her mind. "Wait a minute, I do know you, don't I?!" She took a few steps towards the tall man, who turned his head away and sighed.

"I can't tell you that, Ellie. I'm sorry…"

"But, I did know you, a really long time ago, I know it!" Ellie was suddenly remembering her third birthday party, something she had blocked from her memory because it went hand in hand with her dad's disappearance. The man was sitting on the floor across the room, smiling as she opened her presents with her mom's help. "You were at my birthday party, weren't you?"

The man's eyes widened with shock. "You- you still remember that day?"

"That's impossible." Abigail shook her head in disbelief, her braids swinging wildly. "I took away all memories of that day from you when you were just a little girl, as soon as it became apparent that you remembered it after all, and there is no way that they could have come back to you."

"You made me forget?! I thought I just blocked them myself!"

"Yes, I did it, but when did you remember, and how?"

Ellie thought for a short moment. "Well, I just remembered my birthday party a few moments ago, but I think the first thing I remembered about that day was when Daddy actually went missing. When Lucius came into Robert's house to kidnap me, I heard his voice and it hit me like a load of bricks. I remember him telling Mom to take me and go, and Lucius saying to "give him the girl," and Mom taking me away, and Daddy smiling at me before he tackled Lucius." She paused for a minute before shaking her head futilely. "The memories are still really fuzzy, though. I can't really see my dad's face or hear his voice, I just remember that they were there, you know?"

Abbie, the king and the strange man all stared at her in disbelief before the man shook his head and laughed. "Only you, Ellie, would be able to overcome that spell."

Ellie snorted indignantly. "Well, if you aren't going to tell me who you are, at least explain to me why I should trust you, and don't give me anything about trusting Grandma and the king who trust you, because that isn't enough for me."

"Princess…" The man whispered her newest nickname, and yet another memory came rushing into her mind. She was just a little older than her last memories, maybe five or six years old, and she was coming inside from playing with Robert on the street.

"_**Mommy, Robert pushed me and it hurt!"**_

"_**Ellie is so much like you, Becca, right down to her tendency to scrape her knees while doing the least dangerous things!"**_

"_**Oh, Ryan, you're so mean, she's just a baby!"**_

"_**Yes, I know, but she's also clumsy." Footsteps clattered from the television speakers as a pair of big feet moved to stand next to the screaming toddler, and the man chuckled as he picked her up. "There, there, Princess, Daddy's here. Don't cry…"**_

Rebecca had been watching an old video of Ellie as a tiny toddler, trying to walk in circles around the kitchen table but falling and bumping her knee instead, and that was the last time Ellie had ever seen her mother cry. "Wait a minute…" Ellie turned to the man with light brown hair and gray eyes who was smiling wanly. "You couldn't be… Daddy?"

The man sighed and slowly nodded. "Yes, Ellie. I am Ryan Mason, your dad."

Ellie stumbled backwards in shock, nearly falling but catching herself just in time. _I can't believe it! Daddy has been alive this whole time, he's not dead, he's just fine! But wait… if he isn't dead, why didn't he come home?!_

"Ellie, are you alright?" Abbie tried to grab her arm, but Ellie pulled away and ran inside the house, tears streaming down her cheeks as she slammed the door behind her and fell on the couch sobbing.

* * *

"Let me go!" Hope struggled against the blond man who was holding her close to his chest, screaming and flailing her fists against his hard torso. "Ellie is going to hurt you really bad if you don't let me down!"

"Oh, would you shut up already?" The man finally listened to her and set her down on top of a rather large stump. "Ellie is not going to hurt me for bringing you here, she was in on it!"

_What?! Ellie would never do that!_ "You liar! Ellie would never, ever let you bullies hurt us! You even kidnapped Aunt Danielle!" Hope stood up and tried to run, but the man grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "Hey!"

"Hope, you must realize that if I were going to hurt you I would have done so already, and if I were intending to keep you captive I would have thrown you in a cage by now. Try to be a little more objective, would you?" The man sat down on the stump, still holding her by the arm, and rested his chin on his other hand. "I told Ellie about this during the attack because I knew she would freak out. King Mickey actually helped me plan this, and he told everyone back on Radiant Garden. Seriously, Hope, I'm on your side."

"If you're on my side, then let me go!" Hope tugged anxiously on her arm, but the man simply rolled his eyes as if he was bored.

"My name is Draco Malfoy, by the way. And I will release you as soon as you stop trying to get away from me. It wouldn't be particularly beneficial to either of us if you ran off and got lost in this crazy forest, now, would it?" Hope gave one last fruitless tug and gave up, slamming herself back onto the tree stump and crossing her arms tightly when Draco removed his grasp.

"Why didn't Ellie bring me here, Draco?! Why would she let you take me from Sky, anyhow?!"

"Actually, I'm not sure she was overly excited with the arrangements, but we had no choice in the matter. See, I'm acting as a spy against the Death Eaters, feeding information to your friends, such as this. Unfortunately, in order to remain a spy I sometimes have to do things I'm not particularly proud of. I was recently assigned to go with most of the Death Eaters to Radiant Gardens and wreak enough havoc to kidnap you and Ellie. I was assigned to you, my… _father_… was assigned to Ellie, and the others were assigned to the havoc-wreaking." Draco smirked slightly and looked down at the nine year old girl. "I'm going to be in a huge lot of trouble when I report back to headquarters."

"Why should you be in any trouble? You kidnapped me, so you did your job!" _This guy doesn't make any sense! He acts like he is all big and bad, but then he starts going on about how much trouble he's going to get in!_

Draco laughed humorlessly. "Well, Hope, that's part of the plan that Ellie helped me with. She made it look like she attacked me right before I Apparated with you, and when a person gets hit mid-Apparition they are sometimes thrown off course just a bit, and sometimes they lose a grip on whatever they're holding at the time. It looks like Ellie hit me, meaning I got lost and I lost you, or so I'll tell the Dark Lord."

"So…"

"I 'lost you,' Hope. If I had done what the Dark Lord wanted me to do, you would already have your heart stolen. If I had done what the Dark Lord wanted me to do, he would simply be that much closer to unlocking the realm of Kingdom Hearts, and then he really would be undefeatable, completely unparalleled in every way." Draco shook his head. "He expects me to bring you back, and I am not going to do that. No one fails Lord Voldemort," Draco shuddered and gulped after whispering the name of his "master," "no one who wants to come away unscathed, that is."

"So, you're doing this to protect me?" Hope's eyes were huge, and she suddenly felt a rush of gratitude towards the blond man. "Thank you, Draco."

Draco smiled half-heartedly at her. "You're welcome, kid." He stood up and stretched before turning back to the burgundy-haired girl. "Listen up, Hope. I have to get going now, but I assure you that you will be relatively safe here. If anyone tries to give you trouble, just tell them who your father is and they should go a little easier on you."

"Wait, you're leaving me here by myself?!" Hope jumped up and grabbed his hand. "No, please take me back to Radiant Gardens or something, I don't want to be here all alone!"

"Are you serious? Hope, I just risked my life to save you and bring you here! I can't take you back to Radiant Gardens. The Death Eaters may not be able to get in there, but they are still watching it closely. If you go back there, they will do whatever they can to break through the defenses and take you!" Draco blinked and coughed awkwardly when tears began streaming down the little girl's cheeks.

"But… I don't know how to take care of myself! I've never been alone, ever, and Mom and Dad and Aunt Danielle and Uncle Riku aren't here to help me and I don't know what to do and Sky is probably going crazy with worry and he's all by himself and Ellie doesn't know where I am to come help me and I can't stay here alone, I can't!"

Draco sighed and knelt down in front of her. "Hope, I am going to tell Ellie where you are. I'm not just leaving you here forever or something. This place is probably one of the ones that Maleficent will advise the Dark Lord to attack, and by that time Ellie will be ready to come find you."

_I…_ "Why can't Sky and Ellie be here with me?" _I don't want to be by myself! Mommy? Daddy? Where are you?!_

"Sky has to… er… stay behind and protect Radiant Garden… and Ellie has to rescue Danielle and then go get some much needed training. If what I've been told about her is true, she'll be here in no time at all to take you back to Radiant Garden. Sound good?"

Hope dropped Draco's hand and nodded slowly. "I guess… I'm just scared, Draco. What if the Death Eaters come to get me? How am I supposed to fight them off?"

Draco smiled and stood up straight, towering over the little girl. "Hope, you don't need to worry. The Death Eaters won't get here, I promise." With a final grin, Draco turned on his heel and disappeared with a loud snap. Hope fell to her knees and began crying.

_I want Mom and Dad!_

* * *

Khgirl08: That was a shorter chapter than usual.

Ellie: Couldn't you have come up with something a _l_ittle more original than having him be my father?!

Khgirl08: Nope! XD I like it that way.

Ellie: Meany…

Khgirl08: Anyhow… I need your help. That's right, all of you. I need you to help me.

Ellie: We get the point, Khgirl08. What do you need us to do?

Khgirl08: Well, I am definitely NOT sure what world Draco has taken little Hope to. I need some assistance in figuring it out. There are some criteria- 1. It must be a world that Sora saved; 2. There must be a large stump or at least have the possibility of a large stump being in the world; 3. It must be a Disney world; and 4. You must tell me why it would be a good world for Hope to be left on while Ellie takes care of other stuff. :) If I get the same world from more than one person, that's it. Wonderland already has one vote, from Danielle, so take that into consideration!

Ellie: I vote for Maple Brook! :D

Khgirl08: -le sigh- Please review and vote!


	6. Scene Change

Khgirl08: Hey, hey, hey!

Ellie: -sulks- Hi. I'm giving out ice cream cake this time, if your name is on this list that is.

Danielle (yes, still the real one ;3) and OathkeeperKeybearer.

Yeah.

Khgirl08: Don't pay any attention to her; she's just moody because she's hardly even going to be in this chapter, if she is at all. XD I'm going to be touching base with a bunch of different characters this chapter, and introducing some new ones, so I hope you enjoy my little experiment! I'm going to label each section, but I am jumping back and forth between characters a little bit, so hopefully it doesn't get too confusing…

Ellie: This story is about me, though, ME!!! I'm the main character!!! There's nothing confusing about that, is there? :'(

Disclaimer: I don't own it if someone else does.

* * *

(Danielle)

"Think. Think. Think. Think." Winnie the Pooh sat on a small log next to Danielle, rubbing his head. "Perhaps a bit of hunny will cheer you up?"

"Pooh, I don't think hunny is going to cheer her up right now. She looks so sad…" Piglet sat on Danielle's other side, also thinking of some way to cheer up the depressed brunette. "Danielle, why are you so sad? Don't you like us?"

"It's not that I don't like you, Piglet and Pooh, or anyone else on this planet. I'm just worrying about my son and our friends, that's all." Danielle ran a hand through her curly hair, causing it to stick out slightly. "I know that Sky is probably sick with worry about me, and I don't know what happened after that dreadful man grabbed me. All I know is that I managed to pull free from him when he wasn't paying attention, but he shouted something strange right afterward, and then I ended up here, in this meadow." _I hope the others are alright…_

"Well, don't worry! I'm sure Sora will come and save ya! He always found us when we got lost! Hoohoohoohoo!!!" Tigger came bouncing up to the group, followed by Kanga and Roo. "Don't you worry about a thing, Danielle!"

Dan blew a sigh. _If only they knew that Sora is in no position to be saving anybody… But how can I tell them that their friend was captured by the Heartless? It's better to just let them believe what they want._ "You're right. I'm sure someone will come help me soon."

Kanga hopped up to Danielle, smiling kindly. "Tell me, Danielle, how far along are you? When is the baby due?"

Danielle smiled back. "I'm expecting in about four weeks now. That's part of the reason I'm so nervous, I suppose. I want my family with me."

"It's like Tigger said! Sora will come really soon to save you, Danielle!" Roo hopped up and down in place. "Don't worry about it!"

Dan nodded, not wanting to discourage the kind stuffed animals. _Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would be reassured by talking stuffed animals and consider myself sane! Well, not until today, at least…_ "Is there anywhere that I can lay down? I'm a little worn out from all of the excitement of today."

The inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Woods looked at each other dubiously. "Please don't b-be offended, D-Danielle…" Piglet was stuttering quite nervously. "You're just a little too big for our houses."

"Oh, that's right." Danielle laughed slightly. "If you wouldn't mind then, my friends, could I have a couple hours of peace and quiet? I just need to think for a while…"

All of the friends nodded simultaneously. Piglet and Pooh hopped off of the stump, smiling brightly. "Okay, Danielle. We'll see you later!"

When the group was out of sight and earshot, Danielle broke down and began sobbing. "Oh, Sky… Hope… Ellie. You had all better be alright… I couldn't live with myself if any of you were hurt. And… Riku…" _How could he do this to me? How could he have led me straight into this trap?_

"_**Danielle! Dan, over here!"**_

"_**Riku! Oh, thank goodness you're alright! We've all be so worried!"**_

"_**Danielle, where is Sky? Where is he?!"**__ Riku's expression looked so pained… What could I have done to make him hurt so much?_

"_**He's protecting Hope from the Death Eaters, Riku, you have to come help us!"**_

_Riku's eyes scared me so much in that instant, and then he shoved me backwards into the arms of that man. __**"Take her. That stupid brat would do anything to save her friends, including turning herself in." **__When he looked at me again, his eyes turned almost red. __**"Good-bye, Danielle. Next time we meet, I will have Sky with me." **__He left, and moments later Sky and Hope saw me being dragged away by that man, who had yet to say a word._

"_**Mom! Mom, no! Give her back!"**_

_The man holding me chuckled, placing his hand on the baby and rubbing my stomach gently. __**"I'll make you a trade- I'll spare your mother's life if, and only if, I get your little friend Ellie. Shall we make a deal?"**_

"_**Sky, no! Take Hope and run for it, now!"**__ The man smacked me as my son, my gorgeous, brave, strong son, nodded and took Hope's hand, pulling her down the street away from me._

"What have they done to you, Riku? I can't believe you would do that… I can only hope that you'll be alright and that you have a really good reason for it." Wiping her eyes and smiling slightly, Danielle slid off the log and leaned against it, gazing up at the sky and watching the clouds form different shapes. "I haven't done this since I was sixteen, the day before I left Maple Brook. Becca and Eddie and I sat there for hours outside the cave, even after the sun had set and the stars became the focus of our attention."

"_**I'm going to miss you two so, so much."**_

"_**Becca, isn't there any way you can do one of those forgetting spells on Dan's parents and make them forget that they were leaving?"**__ Edward's blue eyes were pleading as his overlong hair fell into them._

_Becca shook her head, her long red locks swinging slightly as she continued to stare at the stars. __**"No can do, Eddie. It's illegal to perform magic on a Muggle, without their consent at least, and I can't use magic until I turn seventeen, anyhow. I doubt it would work, anyways; Mother and Dad have always told me that what is meant to happen will happen, no matter what we humans do to prevent it, so if Dan's family is meant to move, if MY family is meant to move, then there is nothing we can do."**__ Waving a hand above her head, Becca turned to me and smiled. __**"Think of all the places you'll get to see, Danielle! You could be going to any one of those stars, and whenever you get lonely, all you have to do is just look up and think of us, because Maple Brook is only a star-gaze away from wherever you'll be."**_

_I smiled and nodded. "__**Yeah, you're right. Dad already left, anyhow, and Mom would never stay here without him. I just wish they would let me stay here with you guys. What if I don't make any friends there?" **__I was so worried about absolutely nothing, which Eddie immediately assured me of._

"_**Danielle, what are you talking about? You'll make lots of new friends, I know it. If you're worried about making friends, think about Becca and I. It's always been the three of us, and all of a sudden we'll have to take that number down to two. And when Becca goes back to Hogwarts… I'll be all alone, and since I've never really been friends with anyone else in Maple Brook, who knows if I'll be able to make new ones?"**__ Eddie sighed and picked up Becca's wand, which was lying idly by her hand. Waving it in the sky, he shouted to the heavens, __**"Please don't make her leave!"**_

_Becca and I smiled sadly, as did he, and soon tears were rolling down all of our cheeks. When two pairs of footsteps approached from the woods, I sighed. __**"That'll probably be my mother, coming to check on me."**_

"_**Your mother? I wouldn't think that, but then again, I'm not a stupid Muggle like you." **__A greasy haired teenager who I didn't recognize stalked out of the tree line, followed by none other than Ryan Mason, a popular boy at the local high school and someone who had always despised the three of us. Becca drew in a sharp breath and rose as he smirked at her. __**"Well, if it isn't Becca Swallow. I never would have guessed that you of all people were Muggle-born. And you even let that filthy creature touch your wand? Shame, shame, Rebecca…"**_

"_**Yaxley?! What are you doing here?" **__Becca grabbed her wand from Eddie and held it tightly at her side, as if she was expecting to use it at any moment. __**"And I'm not Muggle-born, I'm a half-blood. My mother is Dumbledore's younger sister, thank you very much, and there is nothing wrong with being a Muggle-born, anyhow. Look at Lily Evans, why don't you? She could charm the grease off of you AND Snape's hair, and that's an accomplishment. As for Dan and Eddie, they're fifty times the people you are, so bug off and go home!"**_

_Yaxley smiled and looked around. __**"I was just taking a look at my new home, Becca. I've always wanted a cave to hang out in, and I guess I've found one, haven't I?"**_

_Ryan finally spoke up as Eddie and I stood behind Becca, our fists clenched at his attitude. __**"Yaxley, I think you need to think a little. These three have been using this cave as a hang out for as long as I can remember, and they aren't going to give it up just because you want them too. It's probably filthy, anyhow. There's got to be a better place for us to chill out."**_

_Becca glared at him. __**"Mason, why don't you scurry on back to your precious groupies and leave us alone? And since when did you start feeling so pathetic that you had to hide behind someone as stupid as Yaxley?"**_

"_**Stupid, am I?" **__Yaxley strode forward and cupped Becca's cheek, grinning lecherously at her. __**"I may be stupid, but I'm not blind, and you have changed a lot since the end of term. In fact, I'd almost call you beautiful. Almost… but that look of disdain needs to disappear." **__Bending down slightly, he pecked her on the cheek and slid his hand down her neck before releasing her. __**"See you around, Becca. Mason, let's get out of here."**_

_Becca stared after them as they walked off, her eyes narrow with anger. I never would have guessed that she would end up marrying Ryan, of all people._ "And yet, she did. I wonder where she is now… Ellie seemed so worried about her the last time we had a chance to sit down and talk." Danielle sighed and smiled up at the clouds, which were now drifting apart and turning orange with the setting sun. "Our lives were all changed because of my family leaving Maple Brook, but maybe it was meant to be, like Rebecca said all those years ago." Resting her hands on her swollen tummy, Dan closed her eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

(Draco Malfoy)

Draco threw open the door of his former manor, not wanting to be inside the wretched house for any longer than necessary. _Why did the Dark Lord have to make his base here?_

"Because, Draco, it was what he wanted." A tall, greasy man appeared from the shadows covering the lawn, and fell into step beside Draco, his dark hair gleaming with oils. "Best to be careful how loudly you think, or else people may think that you aren't completely loyal to the causes of the Dark Lord."

Draco snorted with humorless laughter. "Maybe so, Snape, but aren't my thoughts supposed to stay private?"

"If you were employing Occlumency, as I instructed you to do at all times, they would be private. Come. They are waiting for us." Severus Snape stepped through the front gates of the Malfoy property, turned on his heel and promptly disappeared. Draco followed suit, and soon he was standing in front of another gate. "Hurry up. The King won't want to be kept waiting, and I'm sure Potter is anxiously awaiting our information, as well."

Draco sneered. "If Mickey wasn't in on this, I would wait a few days before getting back to them. I hate Potter. He thinks he's so much better than I am, simply because he hasn't screwed up in his life. With Dumbledore hovering over him at every opportunity, how could he go wrong?!"

"Draco…" Snape began, "you have to remember that we have both committed many unseemly acts, and worse than that. Potter has every right to hate us now." Snape sneered. "Once the Dark Lord has been defeated, we won't need to deal with them any longer."

Draco nodded and sighed. _But when Voldemort is gone, I won't get to see that Mason girl anymore… I can understand why Yaxley is so in love with her mother, if she's anything like Ellie._ "Right. Let's get this over with."

Rapping the lock on the gate sharply with his wand, Snape unlocked it and crossed the barrier. As soon as Draco had followed him, he turned and locked it once more. "Oh, the joys of being Headmaster. At least I convinced the Dark Lord to have the minister put me at the post instead of Yaxley. That would have been a disaster waiting to happen… I'm not really sure that Minerva was overly thrilled with the loss of her position of power, but now that the Dark Lord is in charge we have to go with what he says."

"You're late." A stunningly red-haired teenager was waiting for them in the shadows at the head of the path and stepped out to meet them. Draco rolled his eyes as she glared at them. "Professor McGonagall had to leave, unfortunately, and she took Harry, Ron, and Hermione with her. Of course, they couldn't tell me where they were going, but they left me with a message for you. McGonagall said that the other three are probably going to be lying low for a while, lower than they have been, at least, and not to mention anything involving their true movements to the Dark Lord, like you have been."

Draco swore under his breath. "What are we supposed to say to him, make stuff up? 'Oh, yes, my lord, Potter and Company are gallivanting across Australia, why not go search for him there?' That's definitely going to please him."

Snape, too, glowered with anger and resentment. "I don't know, Draco. I'm sure Minerva will come up with something, but… She is going to have some explaining to do. It's obvious she still doesn't completely trust me." He turned to the girl, who had crossed her arms and was still glaring. "Miss Weasley, I trust you at least have accommodations prepared for us? Is my office ready for me and the dormitories ready for Draco?"

"Yes, I believe the house elves attended to it. What did you mean, McGonagall doesn't trust you? She didn't tell me, either, or Draco, so obviously she doesn't trust any of us to keep a secret."

"Ginny, try to actually think for a moment. Snape is a Legilimens, he could know where they went in an instant if you knew. As for not trusting me, of course she doesn't trust me, do you trust me?" Draco closed his eyes and breathed deeply; he had just looked into Ginny's face and seen Ellie's green eyes peering back at him, even though this pair should have been honey brown. "I'm going inside, you can stay out here if you want."

As he stalked off alone, Draco began thinking about Ellie, of all things. _It makes no sense! I've had plenty of girls in my lifetime, and I could have had more, many of them at least as pretty as she is, so why does she hold such an attraction for me? I saw her for all of three minutes, and she is already taking over my every thought. The Dark Lord makes me think about her, thinking about Dumbledore reminds me of her, the King mentions her all the time, I even see her when I look at the Weaselette! She's just so… intriguing. I want to know everything I can about her, I want to find out as much information as I can to help her, and I want to make her safe from the Dark Lord, but I don't know why._

"Malfoy, wait." Ginny jogged up beside the tall, blond man, staring at him strangely. "Why did you look at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like I was someone else who you didn't want to see." Ginny stepped in front of him and stopped, forcing him to do the same. "Who do I remind you of?"

"That's none of your business, Weasley."

"Yes, it is my business, Draco. Tell me who she is."

Draco glared down at the red head, who returned the stare with even more ferocity, before he shrugged and rolled his eyes. "Her name is Elizabeth. She has the same color hair as you do, that's all."

"Do you mean Ellie Mason, the Princess of Heart who Mickey told us about so many times?" Ginny's eyebrows raised. "Do you have a crush on her, Malfoy?"

"None of your business, Ginny. Excuse me." Draco shoved past Ginny, who was smirking at the faint blush that appeared on his pale cheeks. _Where does she get off, assuming things like that?! It isn't any of her concern who I choose to place my affections upon! Besides, I do NOT have a crush on that Mason girl; she just interests me, that's all._ "That's all. There's nothing more to it, nothing!"

_Or… Is there? When I put my arm around her, she didn't pull away, and I could have sworn she was looking at me with something almost like admiration. And that light, that peculiar magic she used to get away from Nott and Avery, it was one of the strongest powers I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of strong powers. They didn't wake up for two hours, no matter what anti-spells were used, and they don't remember anything after grabbing her. Aargh, there I go again…_ "I guess I've got my work cut out for me; Ellie Mason, you are going to be mine."

* * *

(Sky)

"Come on, Max! We have to train in case the Death Eaters come back!" Even though it had only been six hours since the attack, Denise and Max were raring for another battle. Even Christopher and Taylor seemed pumped. Sky, on the other hand, was doing his best to avoid everyone. Deni popped her head into the bedroom he was sharing with Max. "Are you coming, Sky? Yuffie and Merlin are going to teach us more battle moves! It'll be awesome!"

Sky stared blankly at her until her hopeful smile disappeared. "Alright. I'll see you later, then."

Sky could hear Daisy and Minnie fussing over some news after the others left, but he didn't really care to go see what it was. If it was about Hope or his mom, somebody would have told him. He could only suppose that they would never come back. _I'm all alone…_

"Sky?" Aerith was standing in the doorway, holding a plate and a mug. "I brought you some soup and crackers. You haven't eaten anything since this morning, and I know you must be hungry."

"I'm fine." Even in the state he was in, he could tell that Aerith didn't believe him; she winced at the almost robotic tone in his automatic answer and set the food down on his bedside table with a sigh.

"Sky, you need to eat something. I know this has been hard for you, but-"

"Hard? Aerith, that Death Eater is probably going to kill my mom and baby brother or sister, Hope's heart has likely been taken from her already, and my dad is working with the Death Eaters. That's a little more than hard."

Smiling sadly, Aerith sat on the bed beside him and smoothed back his hair. "Sky, King Mickey believes that Danielle is safe. In fact, Ellie is going to rescue her really soon. As for Hope, I know she's safe. The Death Eater who took her away is actually working for us, and he was just making sure she didn't get captured by the Dark Lord and Maleficent, like Kairi, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and your dad did. She may not be back for a little while, but she'll be just fine, I promise."

Sky turned away. "What about Dad? He doesn't even want Mom anymore, said she wasn't any use to him. He's never acted that way before, he loves Mom, and he would never say that about her!" He was surprised to hear his voice crack a little, and to feel tears stinging his eyes.

"Sky, honey, that isn't true. First of all, this happened before, when your father was possessed by an evil man named Xehanort. He tried to kill Sora and Kairi and just about everyone else on the face of the planet. He came back, though, and helped Sora defeat Xehanort. I'm sure your parents have told you this story before, right?"

Sky nodded. "But he didn't look any different, except for his eyes, and that's what makes me think he actually turned evil, not the other way around."

Aerith chuckled slightly. "Sky, you don't know that. I know a lot about your father, and I'm certain he would never go back to being evil by himself. As for not wanting your mother anymore, that makes it all the more likely that he is possessed by someone. From everything that you and Hope told me about him, it sounds like he loved the two of you more than life itself, and I'm sure he wouldn't just give up on that love because he wanted to fight for the Heartless and the Death Eaters. I assure you, Riku is not evil, and he will never be evil again."

"Do you promise?"

"Yes."

Sky cracked a small smile and wiped his eyes, still not looking at Aerith. "Thanks for the soup."

* * *

(Ryan Mason)

Ryan ran a hand through his overgrown hair as Ellie slammed the door to the small cabin; this wasn't the way he had wanted to reveal his identity to his daughter. He wanted to get to know her first, find out if she was still as much like her mother as she used to be, discover what her fears and dreams were so he could do his best to help them along. Most of all, he wanted to make sure she never cried, and he had just caused the very thing he feared most of all. "That didn't work out very well…"

Abigail sat back on the porch chair and put her face in her hands. "Of course it didn't. Ryan, your daughter thought you were dead until a few seconds ago. How did you expect her to react?!"

Mickey quickly nodded to Ryan and stood up. "If you'll excuse me, I need to head to The World of Magic, as it seems Ellie isn't going to be ready to go anywhere for a while. I'll let you two deal with this." Mickey tugged on an invisible cord hanging from the trap door and was immediately pulled up.

Ryan was gazing at Abigail in fury. "Do you mean to tell me that you told my daughter that I was dead?! You told her that I was dead, didn't you?"

"Why would I do that?! I never believed you were dead, and I would never lie to that girl unless it was completely necessary, and that would not have been a necessary lie." Abigail stood and stomped across the yard, not stopping until she was staring almost straight up at him. Ryan had to blink several times to get rid of the thoughts of Rebecca that filled his mind. "You don't know anything about Ellie, Ryan, nothing at all! You barely know anything that happened after you were taken from us, all because you never came home! She was a baby, Ryan, a little girl on her third birthday, when Lucius came for Becca, and all she knew about that disappearance was that you were gone. She didn't know why, she didn't know how, but she knew you were gone. Ellie was bound to come up with some explanation for your absence. It doesn't matter that you couldn't come home, she probably thinks you abandoned her, because she just couldn't grasp why her daddy would leave her unless he was dead!"

Ryan closed his eyes and sighed loudly. "Abbie, are you sure that you and Becca said nothing of the sort?"

Abbie nodded. "Quite sure. I know she still expected you to come home someday right after Becca was taken, and after a while she just stopped talking about either of you. I don't know when she came to the conclusion that you were dead. I didn't even know about it until she asked me to help for Becca's sake, and I asked why she didn't want me to help for your sake as well. She told me that you were dead, and that for a little bit when she first remembered the circumstances surrounding your kidnapping she thought that there was a chance that you were still alive, but quickly decided that Lucius Malfoy didn't make people disappear, he killed them, and she was quite certain that both you and Robert were both dead." Taking a step back, she smiled half-heartedly. "Well, you proved her wrong, didn't you?"

Ryan nodded solemnly. "I have to talk to her, Abbie. I just have to. She's my baby, my little girl, and I haven't gotten to speak to her as her father since her third birthday." Stopping for a moment, he shook his head forlornly. "I can't even remember if she's sixteen going on seventeen or seventeen going on eighteen."

"Sixteen. She's sixteen."

"Thanks, Abbie. Do you think you should talk to her first, or should I…"

"Just go, Ryan. Nothing I say or do is going to make her feel any better." Abbie stepped aside and smiled encouragingly. "Get in there."

Taking a deep breath as he strode across the yard, Ryan did his best to regain the confidence he had held for as long as he could remember. _There's only one other time I've felt so nervous, and that was when I was about to propose to Becca. Heck, even that seems like nothing compared to this._ Cracking open the front door, he nearly closed it again when he heard a loud sob from the couch. Swallowing deeply, he opened the door wider and managed to get out a few words. "Ellie? It's me…"

Ellie sat up and turned to him; her eyes were red and swollen, and tears were still streaming down her flushed cheeks. "What do you want?"

Ryan stared at her for a moment; even now, he felt like he was staring at her mother. The hair, the eyes, even the shape of her nose was exactly the same as Becca's. He jerked out of his reverie and closed the door behind him. "We need to talk."

"About what, _Dad_? About how you abandoned Mother and I for almost fourteen years? You were alive this entire time, and you didn't even bother to tell us!" Suddenly Ellie was on her feet, pacing the room and waving her arms around. Ryan smiled as he recognized the habit that he had begun to develop in his late teenage years. "Do you know what it's like, not knowing if your dad is dead or alive? No, you don't, because your parents died instantly, BAM! I waited to find out your fate for nearly twelve years with Mother, and when she went missing and you still didn't come back I thought you had to be dead! You didn't even care! All you care about now is defeating the stupid Heartless, not our family. Don't pretend that you're doing this for us! If you were doing it to help us, why even bother when you don't even have someone to come home to anymore? Because you don't!"

Ryan wasn't smiling anymore. "Ellie, you don't think it killed me on the inside to have to leave? Do you honestly believe that I was happier being on the run from Voldemort's men than home with you and your mother? Ellie, I told you that I had to help you at all costs, and I meant that with all sincerity! I would do anything to keep you safe, and I have done everything I possibly could have! That's the only reason I never came home, because if I had tried to return to you the Death Eaters would have come back to Maple Brook all the earlier, killed your mother and either taken you or killed you before killing me. I had no other choice!"

"You didn't manage to keep Mother very safe though, did you?" Ellie sank back onto the couch and stared at her knees. "Do you know what happened to her, Daddy? She suddenly got really nervous and started dragging me towards that same field on the other side of the woods, the one you disappeared from, and then some stranger showed up, talking about unfinished business. I had no idea what was going on, except for the fact that he wanted Mother to go with him. She refused and tried to get me to leave. I think she wanted to fight him, but I wouldn't go, and she used her wand on me. When I woke up she was gone, the man was gone, and I was all alone." Ellie began to sob again. "She left me, too, Daddy. Mother even attacked me to get away!"

Without hesitation, Ryan sat on the couch beside her and hugged her tightly. "Elizabeth, I have no idea what happened that night, but I can assure you that Becca would not have attacked you unless she had no other choice. Someone must have wanted her, and she wanted to make sure you were safe…"

"Then why didn't she do what Grandma did and send me somewhere else entirely? And don't call me Elizabeth. My name is Ellie."

Ryan smiled slightly. "I don't know. Maybe she didn't have time to do that or she was afraid to for some reason, or maybe it was because she just isn't quite as skilled as Abigail. Ellie, your mother loves you more than anything, she always has. She would never leave you if she had a choice. I swear on everything that I am and have, she wouldn't do that to her precious little girl."

"Do you know where she is?" Ellie's voice was no more than a whisper as she raised her tear-filled eyes to meet Ryan's. "Do you? What about Robert?"

Ryan sighed. "I have no idea about either of them, Ellie. As soon as I heard about your mother, I focused every second of every day on searching for her, searching for information about her. My search led me to the king, who I heard was the person to go to if you were looking for information. When I found out that he knew your mother and grandmother from years ago and that he was also working to bring down the Dark Lord, I just had to join forces with him. Ellie, I never wanted you to find out about any of this, and it looks like I failed at that, as well…"

"No, you didn't fail." Ellie looked up at him and tried to smile. "You didn't do anything wrong, I swear. The only thing you did was try to keep Mother and I safe." Her eyes hardening slightly, she stared out the window. "It's all because of Voldemort, and Maleficent, and the Heartless. If we can stop them, everything will go back to normal, right? … Shut up! Just shut up!" She suddenly blushed fervently and clapped both hands over her mouth, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Excuse me? Who are you speaking to?"

"Axel. He claims to be my spirit guide, but I think he's up there in my head to annoy me. He never answers my questions directly, unless I wasn't asking him to, and he pops up at the most inconvenient of moments…"

"Oh. Alrighty, then." Father and daughter began laughing as they officially hugged for the first time in almost fourteen years.

* * *

(???)

A hurried footstep. A frosty breath crossing equally frozen lips. A high-pitched scream as everything went black. Watching him prepare an attack. Protecting… protecting her… Her…

"No!" He sat up in alarm, breathing heavily and shaking slightly. The thick blackness everywhere he looked made him think that maybe he was blind, but soon he realized that it was just really, really dark. The floor that he lay on was gritty, and his limbs felt stiff, as if he hadn't moved in quite a long time. _How long have I been here? What happened?!_

"I see you're finally awake." A strangely soothing voice broke through the darkness surrounding him, and the anger that had been rising in his throat died out almost instantly. "You need to be more careful what positions you put yourself in. I may not always be there to bring you to safety."

"Where am I?" It was so cold here, so cold, and a shiver forced its way through him until a warm blanket suddenly appeared on his shoulders. "What's going on?"

"Somewhere safe, for now."

"Where is she? What is going on?"

"Elsewhere that is safe. That's all I know."

"You're not answering my question! What's going on? How did I get here in the first place?"

"I rescued you. I happened to hear about the attack, and I was already coming to help when I noticed you were in grave danger. You haven't been doing so well since I brought you here, though. It's been over a week since you stirred at all, and I was afraid that you might not make it." A soft chuckle, just as soothing as the voice. Everything was still dark, but shadows could now be made out as they danced across the room, or stared at him as the largest one was. "He managed to hurt you pretty badly, didn't he?"

"Yeah. But as long as she's alright, I'll be fine. I have to find her. Thank you for all the help, ma'am, but I do need to leave."

"You are not going anywhere until I give you permission. You just woke up from being unconscious for ten days, and I'm not willing to take the chance that you really aren't alright. No, sit down. Sit!"

He threw the blanket away and stood anyhow. The darkness was getting easier to see through, and it was obvious that the kind stranger was quite petite. "No thank you. I told you, I have to go. She might need my help."

"Robert Anderson! I told you to sit down!" The strange woman shouted the command so loudly that Robert nearly fell as he sat back down.

"How do you know me?"

"I've known you since the day you were born, Robert. There are only three people in this universe who know you better than I: Eddie, your father, Marianne, your mother, and Ellie."

Robert nearly choked on his breath. "No…" The reason that the voice had been so soothing, the reason he couldn't be angry around her, suddenly became very evident.

The strange woman chuckled again. "Yes."

"You can't be Mrs. Mason… it isn't possible." Even as Robert spoke the words, memories began flooding back to him: the kind woman handing him a cool glass of lemonade on a hot summer's day or a steaming mug of hot chocolate near Christmas; knocking on the front door of Mason's house and making small talk with her mother until Ellie was ready to go to the cave; the fear and anger in those emerald eyes just before she took Mason home as she whispered something to his father; the same fear and anger in Mason's eyes when she returned, alone and afraid. "Why did you leave Mas- sorry, Ellie there all alone? Why didn't you come back? Do you realize what you put her through? What about your mom, and my parents? Everyone thought you were dead."

Smiling a wan smile, Rebecca whispered some nonsense word and several lanterns and candles ignited throughout the room. "I wanted to come home. I desperately wanted to come home, Robert. It just wasn't possible." Sinking to the floor next to him, she sighed and stared at one of the flickering candles. He noticed that she looked much older than she had when he last saw her; her once glowing skin was dull, and her hair was unkempt and graying. "I was a captive of a former Death Eater, who wanted to use me to defeat Lord Voldemort and take over the universe. Once he was killed by the Death Eaters I managed to escape, but they followed me everywhere I went. Until I came here, I was never able to stay in one city for more than a couple of days and on one planet for more than a month or two. It was terrifying." She looked him over and smiled. "You look so much older than when I left. I bet Ellie has grown up just as much as you have."

"What exactly is a Death Eater, Mrs. Mason? And she hasn't really changed that much, that I've noticed. At least not since she started talking again."

"Please, call me Rebecca, or just Becca, like everyone else. I don't want to be known by my dead husband's name any longer, if you don't mind." Becca gave Robert a strange look and opened her mouth to continue, but Robert cut her off."

"So, he is dead? For sure?"

"Yes. I wanted him to be alive so, so much, but I have seen his grave, received a confession from his murderer. Ryan is gone." The light that had always brightened and sparkled in the eyes of Mason, Becca and Abbie was now gone from the second generation's set. "Moving on, it would seem that I have a lot of explaining to do. If only Uncle Albus hadn't convinced Ryan and I not to speak of his world, my _true _world to my daughter, this would be unnecessary."

Robert shook his head; the twinkling eyes and sparkling personality of Rebecca Swallow Mason had seemingly disappeared during her time away from Maple Brook and replaced by dead-looking eyes and a sad soul, and he wasn't sure that he liked the new person sitting next to him.

* * *

Khgirl08: Thanks for reading! Review, please! :3

Ellie: Yeah, you get a really good treat next time! XD Yay for me!


	7. A Magical School of Magic

Khgirl08: Heyheyhey! How's it going, everybody?

Ellie: Yay! -glomps KHG- I missed you! Alright, this time, at Dan's request, I am going to be giving out caramel-filled chocolates! Give a big round of applause to our receiver:

Danielle (I hope you're happy! Lol)

What do you guys want next time? Review and tell us, please!

Khgirl08: Alright, alright, on with the story.

Disclaimer- I don't own it, I swear!

* * *

Danielle sighed and opened her eyes, expecting to see her plain white ceiling or the bricked ceiling at Merlin's house. When the ceiling turned out to be a beautiful blue sky filled with puffy white clouds, she sat up in a flash before remembering what had happened to her. _That's right… I'm in the meadow of the Hundred Acre Wood. How could I forget that?_

As soon as she stood up and stretched out her back, a puff of smoke appeared on the log next to her. A closer investigation revealed that a small, gift-wrapped box was inside the smoke, and Dan pulled it out carefully.

"It's addressed to me? What in the world?" The box fell open on its own, and she caught the note and the piece of chocolate that were inside just before they fell to the ground. "'Dear Danielle: Thank you for your kind reviews, even if they are to my face and not online. You requested this caramel-filled chocolate, so… here! Sincerely, Khgirl08.' Who is Khgirl08? And what is this person talking about?"

"Oh, crap!" A loud voice appeared out of nowhere, and Dan spun around to try and find the source. "I'm sorry, I sent that to the wrong Danielle! Ehehehe… Can I have it back now?"

"Um… Sure…"

"Thanks, Dan, you're a real pal!" The box and its contents disappeared in some more of the smoke, and then Danielle opened her eyes again.

"What? Oh… It was only a dream, a really weird dream. They say that some pregnant women have crazy dreams, but that's a first for me…" Shrugging, Dan closed her eyes again and smiled. "It was a nice dream, though… And that chocolate sounded so good, too…"

* * *

"Hello? Is anybody here?" A shrill voice woke Ellie up, and she blinked sleepily as four people entered the cabin, looking around in interest.

"Yes… Grandma Abbie and Dad are asleep in the bedrooms, though…" Yawning, Ellie stood up to greet the newcomers. "Who might you be?"

"My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am… er… was the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The old witch was wrinkled and bespectacled, but her eyes looked kind, if tough, behind her glasses. There were three much younger people, who looked about the same age as Ellie, standing behind her. "I assume that you are Elizabeth Mason?"

"Yes, I am. How did you know that?"

"The King, of course."

"Of course." Ellie smiled wearily as she ran a hand through her mussed hair. "Please, call me Ellie. And who are you three?"

One of the younger people standing behind McGonagall stepped forward, his dark hair sticking up and his glasses sitting lopsided. "My name is Harry Potter, and this is Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

"Harry Potter? Really?!" Abigail suddenly walked into the room, smiling brightly. "Gracious sakes, I haven't seen you since you were a baby! And Minerva, you look so well!"

"Ah, Abigail! It has been far too long!" McGonagall smiled and embraced her friend. "You look just as youthful as ever, Abbie. I only wish I looked as young as you."

"How are things at Hogwarts? Are they improving any? Here, all of you sit down. There's plenty of room, plenty of room." Abbie gestured to the long couch and loveseat that sat in the middle of the room as well as the three plush armchairs around them. All four of the newcomers took her up on the offer and sank into the seats, looking utterly exhausted. Ellie sat back down on the couch and curled her feet under her, staring around at the three teenagers.

"That's why we came, actually. The King told me that if things got too nasty I should bring these three here, and it was getting rather dangerous at Hogwarts. Voldemort just instructed the Minister to make Severus headmaster, and several of the teaching staff have suddenly disappeared only to be replaced by Death Eaters. It would have been too dangerous for the three most wanted wizards and witches on the planet to be at the school, so I decided to evacuate them."

"But Mum wasn't too happy about it. She said that we should never have quit school just to fight Voldemort in the first place." Ron scratched his head and turned his blue eyes back to Ellie. He was quite tall and muscular but thin, and his long red hair looked slightly unkempt. His nose and cheeks were covered in freckles, and his maroon t-shirt and jeans fit him snugly. "You look just like Ginny. I hope that doesn't put her in any more danger."

"Ronald, don't be so rude." Hermione shook her head at her red-haired friend but smiled. "Ron has a younger sister who does look a lot like you. She's taller and has brown eyes, but the two of you do have very similar hair." She smiled at Ellie kindly. "I bet you haven't had the chance to learn any magic yet, have you?"

"No, I haven't."

"That's too bad. You have no idea what you're missing out on." Hermione was slightly shorter than her companions, but her large brown eyes sparkled with intelligence. Her brown mass of hair was so curly, frizzy, and generally crazy that it nearly disguised the beauty of her face. She was dressed in a pink t-shirt and jeans under a white cardigan, and she looked slightly curvy but thin, as if she hadn't been eating well. "I can't wait until you have actually learned magic. You'll love it, I know you will."

"Especially if you're anything like your great-uncle." Harry spoke up once more, smiling, and now that he was closer to the light of the fire Ellie could take in his entire appearance. He was a couple of inches shorter than Ron, and his hair looked like it had been cut more recently than either of his peers. His forehead bore an unusually shaped lightning bolt scar that was partially hidden under his bangs. Like Ellie and Abigail, he had bright green eyes, but his were slightly smaller and more of an almond shape behind his round black frames. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a very old and tattered pair of jeans. "Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard to ever live."

"That's what Grandma Abbie told me earlier." Ellie smiled back. "She also told me that, according to her brother, you three are some of the top students of your year at Hogwarts, especially you, Hermione."

All three blushed. "I don't know about me being anything special…" Ron looked away uneasily, and Hermione placed a hand on his arm and smiled. "I mean, Hermione is just an all-around genius, and Harry can duel better than anyone else in our year and is way better at Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I'm…not near as good."

"And yet, you managed to do quite well on your important OWL's without our help, didn't you?" asked Hermione as she placed a hand on his hand. "And you did some serious damage to the Death Eaters in June. You are a great wizard, Ron."

"Yes, and the Death Eaters remember you clearly." Ryan finally made an appearance, sitting on the couch next to his daughter and nodding at the newcomers. "They talked all about you three at one of their last meetings. Voldemort wanted to go over all of your strengths and weaknesses so he could figure out which one of you to go after first. Unfortunately I only got to hear about Hermione and Ron before I had to leave.

McGonagall smiled at Ellie's dad. "It's good to see you again, Ryan. I knew you started lying even lower when you found out that Ellie was on the run from the Death Eaters, but I didn't know you still attended their meetings."

"I usually don't, but they had just captured me and wanted to bring me before Voldemort before throwing me in Azkaban." Ryan grinned wickedly. "Obviously that plan didn't work too well."

"So, Minerva, do you know when the king will be returning? I'm worried about Danielle." Abbie twisted her hands and looked at her feet. "She's expecting a baby, and Lucius kidnapped her."

"Ah, I almost forgot," said McGonagall as she looked at Ellie. "Miss Mason, I am to take you to Radiant Gardens and wait for you to rescue Danielle before returning to The World of Magic with you. The king caught us just before we came here, and he wanted me to tell you all that he doesn't know when he will be back."

Abbie narrowed her eyes. "That's interesting. Do you have any idea where he's going?"

"None. All he would tell me was to make sure Ellie got to Radiant Gardens." McGonagall stood and stretched before turning to Ellie. "Are you almost ready to leave? We don't have much time."

"Yes." Ellie also stood and nodded to Harry, Ron and Hermione. "It was nice to meet you. Hopefully we get a chance to know each other a little better next time we meet."

"It was nice to meet you, as well." To Ellie's great surprise Hermione stood and hugged her for a moment before pulling back and smiling brightly. "Good luck." Ron and Harry echoed their friend's sentiment as she sat back down in the chair that sat between the two of them, and Ellie felt herself blush slightly.

"Ellie, don't leave without your bag." Abigail pulled her wand from her pocket and waved it in the direction of the bedrooms; Ellie's old green messenger bag soared out and hung itself over her shoulder. "Now, be good. I'll try to make sure you find out when I… er… if I leave, alright?"

Ellie smiled knowingly at her grandmother. "Alright, Grandma. I love you."

"And I you." Abbie hugged her granddaughter tightly.

"Ellie?" Ryan opened his arms to his daughter as well, and Ellie had to struggle to hold back tears as they embraced. "Take care, Princess."

"You too, Daddy. It feels like it's going to be another fourteen years until we see each other again."

"No, it won't. I'm not going to let you grow up anymore without me." Ryan smiled at her and hugged her one more time before letting her go and messing up her hair some more. "I'll see you around. I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Alright, Miss Mason, let's get going. We're on a very tight schedule." Professor McGonagall nodded to her three former students. "Make sure you three are careful, and please don't bother Abbie."

"Oh, they won't bother me, but if they do…" Abigail grinned wickedly, and all three teenagers gulped slightly. "Be safe, both of you!"

"Ellie?" Harry stood up, as well, and Ellie turned to him in surprise. He was blushing slightly, and he didn't quite meet her eyes as he spoke. "When you get a chance, tell Ginny that I said…to keep out of trouble, would you?"

Raising an eyebrow in confusion, Ellie nodded. "Of course I will. Goodbye, everyone!"

"Goodbye!"

Ellie and McGonagall went out to the trapdoor, both shivering slightly when the stiff breeze seeped through their clothes. Ellie was sorry that she was no longer wearing Danielle's jeans; her grandmother had insisted she change into one of the blue plaid skirts and white polo shirts that had been retrieved shortly before Maple Brook collapsed. The short skirt wasn't doing much to keep her legs warm, even when paired with the tall white socks that completed the normal uniform for Ellie's school. After Professor McGonagall pulled an invisible string which caused the two women to be raised to the barren island that masked the hide-out, Ellie looked around. "Where is the Gummi ship?"

"Gummi ship?" Professor McGonagall shook her head gently. "If only you could have been raised as what you are, Miss Mason… You really haven't got a clue. I do not need to use a Gummi ship. I Apparate, as I'm sure you've seen numerous Death Eaters and other magical people do."

"Oh, right…"

"No more dawdling, please take my arm." Ellie grabbed the elderly teacher's elbow without hesitation, only to wish she had taken a deep breath first. McGonagall turned sharply, and it was all Ellie could do to hang on for dear life. Once again she had the distinct impression of being sucked through a tiny straw, and when she landed on the pavement of Radiant Garden she took a deep breath and sighed in relief.

"That Apparating really causes a lot of pain, doesn't it?"

"You get used to it after a while." Minerva rapped sharply on Merlin's door. "It's Professor McGonagall! I need inside!"

"Just a moment!" Several locks clicked before Minnie opened the door, smiling broadly. "It has been a while, Minerva."

"Yes, far too long," said Minerva as she smiled down at the mouse. "I have a present of sorts for you."

"Oh?"

"Hello, Your Majesty," said Ellie as she stepped out from behind the elderly teacher. "How are things?"

"Ellie!" Someone dashed around Minnie and hugged Ellie tightly as soon as she spoke. "You're safe!"

"Of course I'm safe, Sky," Ellie replied as she hugged him back. "How are you? And shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Scared, a little nervous. We all stayed up to wait for you. Have you found Hope yet?"

"She is here to rescue your mother, Sky." Merlin walked out of the house, grabbed Ellie's forearm and dragged her inside. "Danielle needs to be gotten from the book as soon as possible. The fact that Lucius managed to hide her in there still mystifies me, but I suppose Death Eaters have their ways."

"Ellie!" Daisy, Denise, Max, Christopher, Taylor, Yuffie, Aerith and Cid were all sitting around the expanded living room, grinning like mad at the sight of their friend.

"Eh-wee!" David clapped his little hands together and smiled. "Eh-wee!"

"Hey, everyone," said Ellie, smiling slightly. "Where is this book, and how dangerous is it?"

"Dangerous?" Cid rolled his eyes. "The Hundred Acre Wood is probably the least dangerous planet out there. According to Sora, it is inhabited by stuffed animals. Danielle is probably having fun in there."

"So, why couldn't you guys have gotten her out without me?" Ellie raised her eyebrows. "I love to help, of course, but if you were so worried about her you probably should have gotten her out earlier."

"Only a Keybearer can go into the book," said Merlin testily, "and none of us have a Keyblade. Therefore, only you can make it into the Hundred Acre Wood."

"Alright." Ellie looked around. "So, where is it?"

"Right over here." Cid gestured to a small stand with a very old book sitting on it, looking innocent. Ellie smiled when she saw a picture of a spiky-haired boy and a stuffed bear sitting under a starry sky.

"Um… what do I do now?"

"Open it! You know, hold your Keyblade up to the lock!" Yuffie laughed loudly. "Come on, Ellie!"

"Right." Ellie summoned Pure Heart and pointed it at the book. "I guess I'll go now. I'll bring her right back, I promise." The lock began to shine brightly, and as the book fell open Ellie felt herself falling forward into it.

When she was standing on solid ground once more, Ellie looked around and saw several stuffed animals: a nervous-looking pig with a pink shirt, a hyper tiger who was bouncing around on his tail, an angry looking rabbit, and a confused yellow bear in a red shirt. "Hi. My name is Ellie Mason. I'm here for Danielle. Do you know where she is?"

"Yes, yes, of course we know where she is, but you just landed in the middle of my vegetable patch!" The rabbit hopped over to her and groaned. "All of those carrots, squashed. Between you and Danielle, I'm not going to have anything to harvest this year!"

"Hoohoohoohoo! Don't worry, Rabbit! We'll make sure no one else falls from the sky!" The tiger, pig and bear all approached Ellie and Rabbit as well. "It's nice ta meet'cha, Ellie! I'm Tigger!"

"And I-I'm Piglet. It _is _nice to meet you, Ellie…" Piglet blushed when Ellie smiled down at him.

"And I'm Winnie the Pooh, or just Pooh. Are you friends with Sora? When is he coming to visit us again?" Pooh smiled lovably, and Ellie felt her heart twinge with pain.

"Um… soon, I think," she said, hoping that the mediocre answer would suffice the small bear. Apparently it did, because he smiled again and turned away.

"Danielle is over at the log. Come on, Ellie!" The four stuffed animals led Ellie over a small bridge and through some trees, humming and whistling merrily the entire way.

_Boy, these guys sure are cheerful! I wish everyone were like them…_

"Danielle! You have a visitor!" Ellie followed Tigger around a curve in the path and saw Danielle sitting up against a log, eating something golden-yellow from a pot with an ecstatic expression. A mother and son kangaroo pair and a despaired donkey were sitting with her.

"Oh, Ellie!" Dan stood up and practically ran to the red-haired girl, tears streaming down her honey-smeared cheeks. "Thank goodness you came! I was worried that you might not find me!"

Ellie shook her head. "Nope. My dad figured out that Lucius had brought you here."

Danielle started slightly. "You found out, huh?"

"Yes," said Ellie, "and I couldn't be more thrilled. I missed him so, so much, and I had convinced myself that he was dead. Grandma Abbie is with him at the King's hideout, and I think they're catching up with each other. She told me to tell you hello."

Danielle grinned. "I hope I get to see them after all of this is over. I haven't talked to either of them in years and years." Dan's eyes glazed over slightly, as if she were in a different place and time. "She was like a second mother to me, you know. I practically lived with them during the summers, and half of the time when your mother wasn't even home. Oh, how I miss those days…"

Ellie smiled back. "Are you ready to go? Everyone is very worried about you."

"Oh…" Danielle looked around at all of the stuffed animals, who were still smiling. "I guess this is good-bye, my friends. Everyone… Thank you so much for all of your help and the honey. I was just really, really craving it for some reason…" Danielle began crying again and smiled at all of them. "Good bye!"

"Good-bye, Danielle!"

"Goodbye! Be safe!"

"Say hi to Sora for us!"

"TTFN, ta-ta for now! Hoohoohoohoo!" All of the stuffed animals cried out their farewells and well-wishes as Ellie took Danielle's hand and closed her eyes in concentration. Moments later, they were outside of the book again and standing in front of the large couch.

"Mom!" Sky rushed forward and wrapped his arms around his mother's waist, pressing himself as close to her as he could. "Mom…"

"Oh, Sky! You're alright." Danielle squeezed her son tightly and looked around the room sadly. "Where is Hope?"

"She's safe, for now." Ellie looked over to McGonagall, who was still standing next to the door and tapping her foot impatiently. "Unfortunately, everyone, I have to go to The World of Magic and get some training. I don't know how long it will take me, but… I'll see you all later, alright?" Ellie smiled sadly at everyone around her before walking over to Professor McGonagall, who coughed and stood up a little straighter.

"Yes, of course you will. Good day to all of you." Professor McGonagall and Ellie left the room as everyone shouted their good-byes. "I really had hoped that I would make it back to Hogwarts much sooner, but it seems that I wouldn't get my wishes. Take my arm, please."

Ellie reluctantly grabbed the elderly teacher's elbow and took a deep breath just before being forced through that same straw. Wincing from the unpleasant experience, she opened her eyes just after they landed on solid ground, only to dive to the side to miss a brightly-colored light that shot towards her. "Professor?! What's going on?!"

"The Death Eaters!" McGonagall swore under her breath and pulled out her wand. "Run, Miss Mason! Get as far away from here as you can!"

"Run?!" said Ellie, glaring as the old woman ran into the battle. "Aargh…"

"Ellie, over here," said a young-sounding voice. Ellie turned around to see another red-haired girl standing behind some shrubbery. "This way!"

"Who are you?"

"My name is Ginny, now get over here so I can go and fight!" The girl was glaring reproachfully at the battle in front of her as Ellie joined her. "At least Snape and Malfoy managed to warn us. If Professor Flitwick and I hadn't been waiting out here for their arrival they would have been able to start attacking you the second you arrived."

"Oh… who is the other person for our side, again?" asked Ellie quietly.

Ginny rolled her eyes and set her mouth. "His name is Professor Flitwick. He teaches Charms class here. Now, if you will excuse me…" Ginny took a deep breath and was about to run into the scene of the battle, but a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Not happening, Weaslette." Draco looked over at Ellie and winked. "How's it going, Princess?"

"Not too badly, Draco." _Why do I feel like I'm going to blush? All he did is wink at me…_

"Let me go!" Ginny whispered, tugging futilely on her arm. "I understand that you battling would blow your cover, but why can't I?!"

"You aren't of age yet. Professor Snape instructed me to make sure you didn't try to join in," said Draco, clearly enjoying every moment of infuriating the girl. "What kind of Headmaster would he be if he allowed one of his students to be injured in a pointless battle? You should just stay here and answer this kind little mouse's questions."

"'Pointless battle?' Draco, there is nothing pointless about this battle. We're protecting the school, and that's about as important as it gets right now," said Ginny, still trying to free her arm.

"Actually, Ginny, the Death Eaters aren't attacking the school. They're attacking Ellie. Some of them believed that Ellie was going to show up here sometime, so they decided to stay here and wait for her. McGonagall probably could have managed to bring down the three goons that were originally here by herself within minutes, but one of them went for help when Flitwick went on the offensive and brought lots of friends that are just as thick as he is," said Draco. "So, Ellie, how was your trip? Did you get Danielle back safely?"

"Yes, I did. She ended up inside a book filled with perfectly benign stuffed animals, it wasn't like I actually had to battle to get her out or something. I don't think she was ever in any real danger," answered Ellie.

"She's in danger for as long as her husband is working with the Death Eaters," said Draco, sitting down and forcing Ginny down next to him. "They'll keep going after her if it will make him do their bidding."

"So the king was right! That _is_ how Voldemort is controlling him!" said Ellie loudly.

"Wha? Did I hear someone a'talking from over 'ere?" A pair of heavy footsteps crashed towards the bushes where the three teenagers were hiding.

"Well, I guess this is where I say good-bye. I don't know when I'll be back, but I'll see you both later," said Draco before he stood up and turned on his heel. Before Ellie could even blink he was gone.

"Stay back, Ellie," whispered Ginny as she pulled her wand from her pocket. Ellie nodded and backed up slightly just before a large, red face peered through the brush and sniffed slightly.

"Aha! It's the little Weasley girl! Over 'ere, boys, I found a blood traitor!" The man giggled wheezily before coughing slightly.

Ginny whipped her wand around and said, "Ingruo Bogey!" The man gasped as tiny pieces of bogey flew out of his nose, grew larger, and began attacking the large man.

"Bleargh!" The man pulled back and Apparated away, and the other four Death Eaters quickly followed him.

"Miss Weasley! What were you thinking? I told you not to join the battle!" Professor McGonagall and a very small, very old man with a large quantity of fluffy white hair looked into the bush. The elderly man was looking reproachfully at Ginny. "I also happen to know that you were told the same thing by Professor Snape and the King when they were here."

"I'm sorry, Professor Flitwick, but I didn't have much of a choice. I was in here with Ellie and Malfoy when that Death Eater came over. Draco Apparated away, but that guy would have seen Ellie if I hadn't attacked him. As it was, he spotted me and shouted the alarm, and you know how much most of those Death Eaters hate the Weasley family," said Ginny as she stood up and broke through the branches of the bush with Ellie right behind her. "Did they get in any hits, Professors?"

"No, thank goodness. I believe that Professor Snape and Mr. Malfoy simply warned us of an unplanned attack by several mediocre Death Eaters. If the Dark Lord had actually wanted to capture Ellie outside of the gates he would have sent some wizards with some skill or possibly come himself." Professor McGonagall shook her head and walked back to a large, ornamental gate in the tall fence next to the battle site. As she waved her wand over the lock and muttered some more words that made absolutely no sense to Ellie, Ellie turned Ginny with raised eyebrows.

"How often does this kind of thing happen here, Ginny?" she said.

"Well… There are small skirmishes all over the place, but not usually right in front of Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall is right. The Dark Lord would never, _ever_ send people as weak as that to fight here. Professor Flitwick handled them easily by himself. I bet he would have had them gone in another few minutes, even if you and Professor McGonagall hadn't shown up when you did," said Ginny. The two red-haired girls fell into a comfortable silence until the gates opened. Flitwick and McGonagall walked through them at a brisk pace, and the gates closed as soon as Ginny and Ellie had made it through.

"Er… Ellie?" said Ginny softly. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," said Ellie.

"When McGonagall came to get you, did she have three people about our age with her?" asked Ginny, who had grown even quieter and was looking everywhere but Ellie's face.

"Yes, she did. There was Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. Why?" Ellie raised an eyebrow at the blushing girl. "Wait, you're Ron's little sister, aren't you?"

"Yes….Were any of them hurt?" Ginny was still avoiding Ellie's gaze.

"No. They seemed just fine."

"And…er…did they mention me at all?" Ginny went even redder as she posed this question; Ellie smiled slightly as even the tips of the girl's ears burned.

"Yes. Ron said that we looked alike, and he was worried about you being in more danger. Hermione told him to stop being rude and told me what you look like, and Harry asked me to tell you-"

"Harry wants you to tell me something?" Ginny looked at Ellie hopefully, and Ellie nodded.

"He told me to tell you to stay out of trouble."

Ginny sighed and turned her large eyes away. "Of course. Never mind everything that happened, never mind the fact that I'm staying here instead of being out there helping him, never mind the fact that he left me here alone! No, all he has to say to me is 'keep out of trouble.' I'll show him keeping out of trouble," she muttered.

"If it helps, Ginny, he seemed a little embarrassed about something, and he almost said something else….What's going on between the two of you?"

Tossing her long red locks over one shoulder, Ginny smiled sadly. "We dated last term, for a couple months. I've had a crush on him for years, ever since I met him, and he finally got up the nerve to take me as his girlfriend in April," she said. "It was perfect, until Dumbledore died. Apparently he left something that Harry had to do, and Harry also got it in his mind that anyone associated with him was going to be killed. Therefore, he dumped me. Right after Dumbledore's funeral, he took me aside and told me that we couldn't be together anymore."

"Oh, Ginny. I'm sorry," said Ellie.

"Don't be. He still likes me, I know he does, but he's got it in his head that the Dark Lord is going to use me to get to him if he doesn't stay away from me." Laughing, Ginny shook her head. "He tried to stop Ron and Hermione from going with him, but they wouldn't hear of it. They're all of age, and as Draco told you earlier, I'm not, so they could leave school and go off on their own and I couldn't join them."

"'Of age?' What does that mean?"

"Are you serious? When you become an adult, of course!" exclaimed Ginny. "When you turn seventeen, you get to make your own decisions and you get to use magic outside of school. I think Muggles have to wait a year longer before they become a legal adult, but it all comes to the same thing."

"Oh…I see."

"How old are you, anyhow? Are you of age yet?"

"Not quite, I guess. My birthday is on Halloween, so I've got a month and a half to go before I'm seventeen," said Ellie, smiling even more. "Wait until I've told Robert that he's been an adult for more than a year. Ha! As soon as my birthday gets here he won't be able to pull the whole 'child' thing with me any longer." Ellie suddenly felt tears come to her eyes at the mention of her friend, and she and Ginny fell into silence.

"Come on, Ellie! Don't let all this talk get you down! You have to concentrate on learning magic so you can go save Hope and the other Princesses of Heart," shouted Axel, inside Ellie's head. "We need you to stop You-Know-Who and Maleficent."

_What if I told you that I didn't know who?_

"This isn't the time to joke, Princess!"

_Axel, I'm telling you, I don't know who you're talking about! And stop calling me that!_

"The Dark Lord!"

_Oh, Voldemort?_

"If you have to say the name, then yes, Voldemort." Axel sighed loudly. "Just keep your head in the game, and don't think about Robert or your mother or Draco or anyone else, alright?"

_I'll try…_

"There's a good girl. I'm out."

"Finally," Ellie muttered. Ginny gave her a strange look, and Ellie blushed. "Sorry…I…erm…I was just having a conversation with Axel, my spirit guide."

"'Spirit guide?' What's that?"

"Well, I think he's dead, but I'm not sure. He talks to me inside my head, and I answer him back with thoughts. It's actually quite entertaining, because Axel has extremely selective hearing." Ellie giggled suddenly. "He also told me to say hello for him."

Ginny, who had looked positively alarmed for a moment, suddenly giggled as well. "Hello, then! It's nice to meet you…What is that in your hair, Ellie?"

"Huh?"

"There's something right there, in your bangs! It's glowing…green," said Ginny, obviously enthralled.

"Oh, that… The King reckons that it's the result of having my magic pent up for so long or something, it changes with my mood along with this other one," said Ellie, turning her head so that Ginny could see both streaks. "As far as we know, it stays green when I'm not feeling particularly emotional, flashes different colors when I become confused or surprised, and-"

"Miss Mason, Miss Weasley, if you don't get up here at once I shall be forced to lock the two of you out for the remainder of the night," said McGonagall, her voice sharp. Both Ellie and Ginny blushed and walked through the large oak doors that served as the main entrance to the school. Professor Flitwick seemed to have disappeared. "Thank you. Now, Miss Mason, this is the Entrance Hall. The four hourglasses that are lined up against that wall," she said as she crossed the Entrance Hall, gesturing to the four gigantic hourglasses sitting on the ground as she spoke, "keep track of House points throughout the school year. As you can see, each one has a different type of gem that is used to keep track of points. The rubies are for Gryffindor, topaz for Hufflepuff, sapphires for Ravenclaw, and emeralds for Slytherin."

"Ok." Ellie looked around the great stone room; it had a mysterious air of life around it: Ellie was certain that two gargoyles that stood sentry at the entrance were watching her with stone eyes, and the walls seemed to be snorting, as if sleeping. _I wonder if they'll be talking tomorrow morning… No! What are you saying, Ellie? Get a grip, girl! Gargoyles don't watch anyone, and walls don't snore or talk!_

"Miss Weasley, you may join us if you so wish, but you do not need to. Owing to the absence of our…headmaster at the moment, I will be overseeing Miss Mason's Sorting in his office. She will be considered a sixth year student, but her prowess will be below par, seeing how she has never done magic before." McGonagall's eyes flitted to the now-locked doors of the school and sighed loudly. "This way, please."

The old professor took off at a rather brisk pace, and Ginny followed her without hesitation. As Ellie trailed behind the other two, her amazement at the wizarding world grew exponentially. As well as having enchanted doors, gates, and giant hourglasses, the castle featured staircases that constantly shifted and changed, and Ellie soon realized that the soft snoring that had seemed to emanate from the stone walls was actually coming from the numerous paintings that hung… everywhere. One old witch with the stereotypical wart on her nose and frizzy gray hair muttered something about a flutterby and rolled right out of her frame, causing the young and rugged-looking wizard below her to swear loudly when she landed on top of him.

After successfully navigating the moving staircases, which Ellie supposed was a learned technique, McGonagall led the two girls through a regular maze consisting of long, darkened hallways, several doors, and even one tapestry concealing a hidden passage. The elderly teacher lit her wand tip when they reached a particularly dark passage and continued her brisk pace before stopping at the statue of a particularly ugly gargoyle. "Bumblebee."

"Come right in," said the gargoyle as he jumped aside. Ellie shrieked and jumped away from it, much to the amusement of Ginny and the surrounding portraits, who had been woken by McGonagall's wand. All of them began snickering at her reaction, and Ellie even saw Professor McGonagall's lips twitch suspiciously as she gestured to the stone staircase that lied behind the now open door that the gargoyle had been guarding.

As soon as Ellie stepped foot onto the staircase it began to move, spiraling upwards as she gripped the rail for dear life. How she ended up on solid ground before another great door she wasn't sure, but she was quickly joined by Ginny and Professor McGonagall, the latter of whom rapped sharply on the door and cleared her throat loudly. "I, Professor Minerva McGonagall, have come, along with Ginevra Molly Weasley, to perform a Sorting for one Elizabeth Clarice Mason. Kindly grant us access to Professor Snape's offices," she said assertively.

Ellie had prepared herself for the unexpected, so she wasn't quite as surprised when the door grunted its approval and swung open. McGonagall and Ginny hurried through it, and Ellie barely made it inside before the door snapped shut again. Ginny was staring at it in bemusement. "Excuse me, Professor, but I don't remember that door talking before. What brought that on?"

"It's so Death Eaters can't just storm through the door and stumble upon Snape doing something for the Order," said McGonagall. "Of course, it probably also serves in the exact same way for Order members, but that's beside the point. If Snape is in the middle of something in here, he can have the door hem and haw for a few moments while he gets rid of the evidence. It has also been sound-proofed, so no one inside can hear what is going on outside and vice-versa."

Ellie was looking around the room in fascination. There was a large bookcase devoted to a whole host of slimy, unidentifiable things floating in glass jars of ghastly green liquid, but that case looked tiny in comparison to the floor-to-ceiling shelves that housed what must have been thousands of tomes. There were also a significant amount of spindly-legged tables bearing silver instruments that whirred, growled or gave off puffs of smoke, but none of this interested Ellie as much as the portraits that hung around the large, circular tower. They were all blinking in the sudden light that had encroached upon the dark office as soon as the three women had entered, but every single one of them had their eyes riveted on her. One extremely old wizard actually leaned as close to the front of the portrait as he could and pointed his ear trumpet at her. _What are they all staring at?_

Apparently Ginny and Professor McGonagall were also curious about this phenomenon, because they were looking at the portraits uneasily. "Yes? What ever is the matter?" asked McGonagall sharply.

"Why have you brought that Muggle girl into the office of our esteemed Headmaster?" queried one particularly sleazy looking wizard, his hands folded calmly over his lap. "I understand that Dumbledore was very keen on those creatures, but is it so much to ask that you keep our world a secret from them?"

"Don't be a fool, Phineas," chided a portly witch several paintings down from the rude wizard. She too was leaning as close to her frame as possible, and her eyes were as round as dinner plates. "She's obviously not an ordinary Muggle, but perhaps she _is_ some kind of a foreign troll?"

"A troll! I should say not, my lady!" All of the portraits began arguing loudly over Ellie's identity, and she couldn't understand the ferocious battle of the words because the sounds and shouts began to echo and crash around the room. Ginny smiled widely as she watched the fight commencing, whereas McGonagall merely shook her head as the wizard with the ear trumpet began striking his neighbor over the head with it.

Finally a quiet voice broke through the chaos. "Friends, please, allow Professor McGonagall to explain herself." All of the portraits settled down, muttering slightly, and Professor McGonagall threw a weary smile at a painting hanging above a large, gilded chair behind the desk. The man in the painting was smiling slightly, and he wore half-moon glasses on the end of his rather crooked nose. His vibrant blue eyes appeared to twinkle, and his long, flowing hair and beard was as white of snow. "I suppose Professor Snape knows of your business in here?"

"Of course he does, Albus," replied McGonagall. "After all, somebody had to oversee the Sorting of our newest student."

The portraits began muttering to themselves and staring at Ellie once more, and she blushed. "Er… hi," she said nervously.

"She doesn't _sound_ like a troll," said the rotund witch, "but maybe she's just pretending…"

"Does she look like a troll to you, Margaret?" asked another witch with narrowed eyes. "Obviously she is a witch, otherwise she wouldn't need to be Sorted, now would she?"

"Preposterous, Minerva! That girl needs to be Sorted with the other eleven year olds in September!" exclaimed yet another wizard. "Why does she get priority? There are still two and a half weeks until term begins, if Professor Snape's calendar is correct."

"I'm not eleven, I'm sixteen." Ellie's statement was met with silence from all of the portraits, and she blushed even harder. "Is that bad?"

"Well, normally people start at Hogwarts when they are eleven," Ginny explained. "You're probably in a one-of-a-kind situation, Ellie."

The long-haired wizard directly above and behind the desk leaned forward with interest. "Ellie, did you say? Ah, Minerva, I did not expect you to find her so quickly after her world was destroyed."

"She somehow ended up on a planet full of Keybearers, and she found King Mickey there before even finding any of them," said McGonagall. "It wasn't a difficult task to track her down, especially when she was reunited with the king and Abigail."

The portrait turned to smile down at Ellie. "How long it has been, Elizabeth, since I held you in my arms? You've grown so much in the nearly sixteen years since I saw you last," he said. "You look so like your mother, and your grandmother. I suppose you also house their spirit. Elizabeth, I am Albus Dumbledore, your grandmother's half-brother."

Ellie grinned. "It's nice to finally meet you, Uncle, although I do wish that I could have hugged you."

"And I the same. However, it was not meant to be." Dumbledore turned to McGonagall and smiled once more. "It is time to perform the most unusual Sorting of Elizabeth Clarice Mason."

"Very well." Professor McGonagall pulled a very tattered hat from one of the bookcases and held it up for Ellie to see. "This is the Sorting Hat. It will tell us what house you belong in so we can settle you into a dormitory-"

"Wait, settle me in a dormitory? Professor McGonagall, I can't just stay here for the whole school year, I have to go to the other worlds and fight Heartless and try to find Sora, Kairi, Donald, and Goofy, not to mention my mother and my best friend!"

"Yes, I am aware of the circumstances. However, you need to be Sorted in order to become a student at Hogwarts, and you need to learn how to use magic," said McGonagall.

"Yes, indeed," croaked the old hat through a rip in its brim. "I have not yet perfected my song, however, so a simple explanation of the houses and their qualities will have to suffice. The four founders of Hogwarts- Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin- each valued a different quality in students. Gryffindor saw bravery, nerve, and chilvary above all else, Hufflepuff believed that hard-work and loyalty should be prized in students, Ravenclaw held the most gifted and intelligent students in high-regard, and Slytherin took in the students who were the most cunning and would go to any ends to achieve their goals.

"I will test you for each of these qualities and place you accordingly. However, just because you are brave does not mean you will be placed in Gryffindor, and you will not be placed in Ravenclaw simply because you are intelligent," said the old hat. "I will attempt to figure out what trait is the strongest within you. Are you ready?"

"Um…" _I'm confused…_ Ellie didn't have much time to mull over her readiness, however. McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on her head, and it slipped down to where it was covering her eyebrows.

"Let's see here… Ah, a Princess of Heart, I haven't seen one of you in years! Now… Yes, I see… Oho! The Dumbledore family continues! Definitely intelligent, a lot of potential for academia… Fiercely loyal to your friends, don't take that loyalty too far, dearie… Certainly you're brave, braver than many a student to sit under me… No, you aren't very cunning, you're far too kind for that… Alright… GRYFFINDOR!"

Ellie winced as the voice in her ear shouted her house loudly, and she heard several of the portraits clapping as Professor McGonagall pulled the hat from her head, smiling broadly. "Very well, Miss Mason, you are in my house! Very well done indeed!"

"Yes! You and I get to be dorm mates!" cried Ginny, throwing her arms around Ellie. "This is fantastic!" Lowering her voice slightly as she released Ellie from the hug, she smiled slightly. "The other girls in our year aren't all that fun to hang out with… They're boy crazy and a little bit dotty most of the time."

"It is time for us to turn in once again; it is nearly two in the morning," said McGonagall as she placed the Sorting Hat back on his shelf. "Let us go."

Ellie turned back to the portrait of Professor Dumbledore, who was still smiling slightly. "Goodbye…"

"Goodbye, Elizabeth," said Dumbledore as McGonagall ushered Ellie and Ginny out of the office. They traveled back down the spiraling staircase (Ellie was still clinging to the railing for dear life) and past the gargoyle, who jumped back into place as soon as McGonagall had cleared the doorway.

"Miss Weasley, the house-elves informed Professor Flitwick earlier this evening that Gryffindor Tower is not quite ready to be lived in. You may stay there if you wish, but the house-elf who spoke to Professor Flitwick, Dobby, I think, seemed think you would know somewhere else to go," said McGonagall. "Goodnight, ladies." And with that, McGonagall strode down the hall, leaving the two girls alone in the dark.

"Lumos." Ginny lit the tip of her wand and held it high, illuminating the hallway around them. Her brown eyes were narrowed slightly. "Right, then, Dobby obviously wanted me to go to the Room of Requirement for some reason. I was up in the common room earlier this evening, there's nothing wrong in there, so he must know something is going to happen there. Let's go."

"The Room of Requirement? What's that?" asked Ellie.

"You'll see when we get there. Actually, we aren't too far from it now, if we take a few shortcuts," said Ginny. The two girls set off in the opposite direction from McGonagall, climbed up a flight of stairs, and traveled down another hallway before Ginny stopped beside a tapestry of trolls in tutus glaring at a funny looking wizard. "Now, think really hard about needing a place to stay and follow me."

"Alright…" said Ellie. She and Ginny paced the length of the hall three times, and a door appeared from nowhere on the third turn, looking as if it had been there all along. "What the-"

"This is it. Come on, before the door disappears," said Ginny, hurrying to the new door and opening it for Ellie.

The inside of the room was impossibly big; it was longer than the wall outside had been, and Ellie was relatively certain that there couldn't actually be a window showing a moonlit meadow in the back. Ginny walked around the room nodding with approval as the entrance melted away behind her. Every wall was draped with scarlet and gold hangings, and there was a two-poster bed on either side of the window with a sink in between them. Although there was a fire going, the room seemed to provide its own light, as well. The fire, on the other hand, seemed to be mostly for decorative purposes; the room was comfortably cool. Ellie removed her messenger bag (which she had nearly forgotten about) and hung it on a peg in the wall. "This is amazing… So it always turns into a dorm room?"

"No. It turns into whatever you need it to. If you want a dorm, it turns into a dorm. If you want a bathroom, it becomes a bathroom. This room has been the Room for Hidden Things, a broom closet, a house-elf bedroom… Harry used it to have meetings of Dumbledore's Army in my fourth year."

"Dumbledore's Army?"

"Yeah. See, there was this horrible hag from the Ministry of Magic, Dolores Umbridge, who got the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts. The only problem was, Umbridge didn't allow us to use any magic in her class because she and the Minister thought Dumbledore was building up an army of students to overthrow the Ministry. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all in their fifth year, so they had O.W.L.'s, or Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, and it was really obvious that just learning the theory behind magic wouldn't teach the magic itself.

"Hermione came up with the idea to have a Defense club, led by Harry, that people who wanted to learn how to defend themselves could be taught. It wasn't illegal when we started it, but the next morning Umbridge, who at this point had become the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, which pretty much gave her the run of the school and control over nearly everything, had posted signs everywhere saying that all clubs were disbanded and illegal until cleared by her. She tried to break apart the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but we got that back."

"Quidditch? What is Quidditch?" asked Ellie.

"Oh, I keep forgetting how much you don't know. I'll tell you later, alright? Anyhow, we had to find a place to practice in secret, and Dobby the house-elf told Harry about this room. We started having our meetings in here, and we only disbanded when some girl told Umbridge about one of the meetings. After that… well, we only met twice after that, and that was when Harry went to rescue Sirius at the Ministry and the night Dumbledore died. Only me, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville showed up either time." Ginny sighed, looking around the room longingly. "I miss them…"

"Who are Luna and Neville?"

Ginny brightened considerably as she and Ellie sat in one of the plush armchairs that had been placed in front of a roaring fireplace. "Neville Longbottom is a boy in Harry and Ron's year, a Gryffindor like us. He used to be really bumbling and we all thought he was really dumb, but sweet. He absolutely despises Snape, is really horrible at Potions, and really, really good at Herbology. Dumbledore's Army was the first time Neville ever managed to do well at anything spell-wise. We found out that year that he had his dad's old wand, which probably explains his general ineptness, and he had absolutely no confidence in himself until Dumbledore's Army started. He's actually a gifted wizard. Once he got his own wand, he really started shaking things up.

"His parents were members of the original Order of the Phoenix, and when Voldemort disappeared some of his more loyal Death Eaters tracked them down and tortured them."

"Oh, no…" Ellie whispered. "So his parents are dead, too?"

Ginny shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, no. They're still alive and relatively healthy, from what Neville told us, but they're insane. They don't know anything anymore. They were both Aurors, or Dark Wizard catchers, and brilliant ones at that. Neville got sent to live with his batty Gran from the time he was only a year old. We think that part of the reason he was so bad at magic at first was because he was trying to hard to be his dad."

"That's so sad…"

"Yes, it is. Now Luna Lovegood, on the other hand, is quite the oddball. She's a Ravenclaw in our year, and before you get to know her she seems really crazy and weird. Her mother, who I guess was a really gifted witch, died of a spell gone wrong when Luna was nine, so she was raised by her father after that. He runs The Quibbler, which is the oddball magazine of our world, and he is definitely a bit crazy. He has Luna believing in things like Wrackspurts and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and Luna talks about them all the time, which makes people think she's psycho. She also wears these radish things for earrings, I think they're called Dirigible Plums, because they make you think better, according to her dad.

"Luna got the nick-name of Loony Lovegood back in our first year because she was so different, and she never made any friends. People steal her belongings all year and never give them back until the end of term, and they chuck stuff at her a lot. It wasn't until she met Harry and Neville on the train at the start of my fourth year that she made anything close to a friend, and when the DA started she was all over it. She loved being a part of something, and she became really close to some of us. When Harry needed help at the end of the year, she and Neville were there for him and the rest of us, and she went to the Ministry, too. She fought really well.

"Luna was really, really sad during our fifth year because we weren't having DA meetings anymore. Harry told me that she said that 'it was like having friends.' We all remained friends, however, and she and Neville were the only ones who came to help us fight off the invading Death Eaters at the end of the year." Ginny smiled softly. "I'd honestly call Luna and Neville two of my best friends, along with Hermione."

Ellie sat back in her chair and watched the fire burning. Although the conversation was completely unfamiliar to her, something was causing her to have a minor case of déjà vu. _Why does this feel so familiar? Wait…_

_"__**Hold on**__. __**Now you won't die of pneumonia before you explain what happened, and how you appeared in the middle of the street. Sit**__. …__**So, Dad is gone, as well**__? __**Obviously somebody wants you, though I can't imagine why anyone would. However, we've got to get you out of here before they do get you. So, let's get going**__."_

_**"Where can we go, Robert? They're everywhere, they've gotta be."**_

_"__**Anywhere we can. Maybe if we get out of Maple Brook for just a little bit, they'll go away, and everything will be back to normal. Everything will be okay. It will be like a dream, like it never actually happened**__."_

She had to blink several times before she realized that she wasn't sitting in Robert's library once again, like she and her best friend had so many times before. _How long has it been since that last conversation before he disappeared? Oh, Robert!_ Ellie brought her knees to her chest and began to cry, wishing more than anything that his strong arms would envelop her once more.

"Ellie? Are you okay?" asked Ginny. Ellie looked up at her and attempted to smile through her tears.

"I'll be alright. I'm just missing my own best friend, like you're missing yours. His name is Robert Anderson, and we used to sit in these two gigantic armchairs that were a lot like this one and talk all the time. The library in his house had this roaring fireplace, a lot like this one, and he and I would sit in front of it and talk for hours when it was raining or cold outside," she said, laughing slightly. "Sometimes we would even do our homework together while sitting in those two chairs that he always had to pull in front of the fireplace."

Ginny frowned slightly. "What happened? Did he get killed by the Death Eaters, or did he become a Heartless?"

"I don't know. I was trying to explain to him about everything that had been going on our planet, and he wanted to run away from it all and wait for everything to go back to normal. Then Lucius Malfoy showed up with some Heartless, who turned Robert's mom into one of them before disappearing, and Robert told me to run for it while he fought him off. I almost listened to him, but I stopped to listen to their fight, and I met Axel, or heard him, I suppose, for the first time after Malfoy told Robert to join him or die. I ran back in to help, but Robert was already defeated. Just before I reached him he disappeared in a purple and black fire from the floor. Malfoy said that he didn't have anything to do with it, but I don't believe him. I think he sent Robert somewhere and killed him." Ellie shook her head sadly, trying to stop the tears that were still streaking her pale cheeks. "Robert is more than my best friend. Oh, Ginny, I'm in love with him, but I never got to tell him how I feel."

"Ellie…" Ginny smiled sadly. "We'll find him. Draco and Snape told us that Malfoy Sr. was actually punished by Voldemort for not bringing any hostages from Maple Brook and not killing any of the targets there. I bet Robert was one of the targets, so he can't be dead, right?"

Ellie nodded dubiously. "I suppose," she said before scrunching her eyebrows in confusion. "Ginny, Grandma Abbie told me that most of the magical community is afraid to speak Voldemort's name. Why do you say it?"

Ginny sighed. "I say it because of Harry and Dumbledore. You see, Dumbledore once said that 'fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself,' and Harry truly believes it. He never says 'You-Know-Who' or 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,' not ever. While the DA still existed, he told us about it, and he also tried to get us to start saying it. It was hard at first, but Ron, Hermione and I all say it now. I don't know about the others."

Ellie nodded and stretched. "I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted. What time is it?"

Ginny yawned widely and looked at a clock that had just appeared on the mantle of the fireplace. "Good lord! It's almost three o'clock! We have to be up and ready to go by eight, too!" Both girls groaned and headed for the two beds. There was a set of pajamas on each bed (Ellie's were bright blue while Ginny's were hot pink), and they quickly changed and climbed under the covers. "Good night, Ellie."

"G'night, Ginny." Ellie drifted off to sleep almost at once, and after a while she had a most curious dream. A red-haired woman was next to a dark-haired youth as they walked through a snow-covered field, both of them bundled heavily against the cold.

The woman was much shorter than the man, and both of them looked weary. Ellie wished she could see their faces or hear their voices, but she could never catch up to them. "Hey, wait up!"

She took a deep breath and sprinted towards them, slipping to a stop on the snowy grass and looking at her quarries. The woman had bright green eyes and several wrinkles, and Ellie reached out to touch her. "Mother…?"

"Miss Wheezy! Miss Wheezy!" Ellie jolted to a sitting position when something began jumping on the bottom of her bed. "Oh, my! Please, young mistress, forgive Dobby for his mistake! I believed you to be Harry Potter's second Wheezy. You has the same hair…"

"I'm over here, Dobby," said Ginny, sitting up and staring at the creature with drowsy eyes. Ellie couldn't stop staring, either; it was completely hairless, had large, bulging eyes that were even more vividly green than her own, had long, bat-like ears, and seemed to be wearing at least a dozen hats, as well as an overlong sweater and mismatched socks. Its skin was wrinkly and brown, and it looked quite upset with itself. "You don't need to punish yourself, it was an honest mistake and we aren't your masters. Ellie, I would like you to meet Dobby the House-Elf."

"Hello, Dobby, I'm Ellie Mason. It's a pleasure to meet you, although I wish it weren't so early in the morning…" Ellie looked at the clock on the mantle; it was only six-thirty.

"Please forgive Dobby, but it is urgent that Dobby informs Miss Wheezy of the problems of the dormitories before Miss Wheezy goes to her room." Dobby wrung his wrinkled hands and looked around nervously. "We house-elves has been instructed not to talk, but Dobby must!"

"Dobby, who told you that you couldn't talk? What's going on?" Ginny got out of her bed and sat on the edge of Ellie's, looking down at the elf in confusion.

"The new teachers are not nice people, Miss Wheezy, and they wishes to find Harry Potter and k-kill him." Dobby burst into tears but kept talking. "They want to kill Harry Potter! Oh, the shame, the shame, Harry Potter is a good wizard, he would never hurt no one!" Once he sobbed himself out, he hiccupped slightly before continuing to speak. "The new teachers has put pictures of themselfs on the walls of Gryffindor Tower, Miss Wheezy, so they can spies on you! They thinks you know where Harry Potter, his other Wheezy, and his Granger are, and they will be listening in until the school year starts!"

"Why only until the school year starts?"

"They thinks that the other students will notices the extra pictures in their rooms, Miss Wheezy."

Ginny and Ellie exchanged a dark glance. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to stay in here until term starts, then, won't I?" said Ellie grimly. "They would absolutely love to find me, wouldn't they?"

"Yes, they would," said Ginny. "Thank you so, so much, Dobby. That was a very brave thing to do."

Dobby's tennis ball eyes filled with tears, and he blew his nose into his sweater. "Thanks you, Miss Wheezy!" With a loud crack, Dobby was gone.

"Well, now that we're up and awake, I suppose we should just stay that way. Come on, let's go get showered, and then I'll show you around the school a bit more."

_Joy…_

* * *

Khgirl08: Yay! That chapter's down and out! Review, please!


	8. A Trip to Diagon Alley

Khgirl08: Heya!

Ellie: XD Today, we're having one of Khgirl08's fave desserts as a special treat: Moose Tracks ice cream! Congratulations,

**Dan, James Birdsong, and TheChersireCat101,**

You've earned yourself one of her fave flavors! Yay!

Khgirl08:… can I have some? I'm the one who invented you, Ellie…

Ellie: No.

Khgirl08: Puh-leeze? -whimpers-

Ellie: Oh, I'll think about it. _If_ you do the disclaimer.

Khgirl08: Hooray!

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Harry Potter, or Danielle. Just throwing that last one out there. ^.^

Khgirl08: Now, may I have some Moose Tracks?

Ellie: -looks up from empty bowl with ice cream on her face- What Moose Tracks?

* * *

"Hedwig!" Ellie looked up in astonishment as a gorgeous snowy owl flew towards her new friend; she and Ginny were eating breakfast in the Great Hall. "Ellie, this is Harry's owl, Hedwig. What are you doing here?"

Hedwig hooted softly as she landed gracefully on the table, sticking out her left leg. There were three letters attached to it, and Ginny pulled them off as Hedwig dipped her beak into Ginny's goblet of orange juice. She blinked politely at Ellie, hooted once more, and took off once more, flying out one of the high, open rafters in the ceiling.

"What? One of these is from Harry!" Ginny tore open the first letter and read it out loud. "'Dear Ginny, I'm sorry that we didn't get to talk very much before I left. McGonagall was in a hurry to get out of there. I knew how lonely you would get with only that 'princess' for company, so I'm sending Hedwig to Neville and Luna in the hopes that they can meet you in Diagon Alley tomorrow. Please, take care of yourself, and don't be angry with me. Ron and Hermione feel the same way. We're about to leave The World of Magic, so I should go. Harry.'" Ginny smiled slightly. "He would say something like that. Honestly, does he think that I'm going to go ask a Death Eater out on a date or something?"

"No, he just loves you," said Ellie. "He must still love you, like you said, or else he wouldn't keep saying stuff like that."

"Yeah, I know," said Ginny as she picked up the other two letters. Slitting the top one open, she smiled at the contents. "This one is from Neville. He says that he can meet us at ten o'clock at the Leaky Cauldron and that he looks forward to meeting you." She opened the second one and giggled. "Luna says the same thing, and she adds that we 'need to be particularly wary of Potkiers' today. Oh, I love Luna."

Ellie also giggled. "That is so funny! You're right, she is a little bit out of the box."

"Good morning, Miss Mason, Miss Weasley," said Professor McGonagall as she sat down beside Ginny, smiling wearily. "I certainly hope you had a better night's rest than I did. I got owl after owl from the Order, making sure that I got you here safely, Miss Mason."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Professor McGonagall smiled slightly. "No need to be. Now, it is nearly nine o'clock. Ladies, I am going to send you alone to the Leaky Cauldron via the Floo Network. Tonks and Lupin will be waiting for you, and you can take as much time as you need to get your school shopping done. Miss Weasley, it has been decided that Miss Mason will keep the same class schedule as you, so she will need the same supplies as you. Do you have your list?"

"Yes, Professor, it's upstairs."

"Well, then, I'll be sending you off at about a quarter to ten. Best get your things ready now," said McGonagall. "Please meet me in my office when you are ready."

Ginny and Ellie went back to the Room of Requirement, and Ellie looked at her appearance awkwardly. "This is so weird to admit, but I honestly don't have any clothes that look normal. I only have another set of clothes like this one…"

"No problem, you can borrow some of mine," said Ginny. "I'm sure you'll be able to buy some once we get to Diagon Alley. I'll just run up to the dormitories and get some, alright?"

"Yeah, but just make sure that those Death Eater portraits don't see you." Ginny winked and exited the Room of Requirement, leaving Ellie alone with her thoughts and Axel.

"So, Princess, are you excited? I know that I would be. You know, buying your magic books and such."

_I suppose…_

"What's the matter? Don't tell me that you're still upset about Robert. I told you not to think about him," he said sternly. "Come on, now, stop it!"

_I can't help it, Axel! I had a dream about him and Mother last night. At least, I think it was them, I'm not one hundred percent sure. Of course, it was completely ridiculous, because Robert is dead, but it doesn't change the fact that I dreamt it._

"Ah, I see…" said Axel. "That still doesn't explain why you were having a regular old sob fest over him last night."

_That was just because of the fire! It wasn't as though I was trying to think about him, Axel!_

"Whatever, Princess. Just remember: don't think about him. If you keep thinking about all of your little happy times together you'll drive yourself insane."

_I don't think I'd have the opportunity, Axel._

"Oh, really?"

_Yeah, you're going to make me insane long before Robert does._

"Oh, ha, ha."

"Ellie, here are some clothes," said Ginny as she came back into the room. She was holding a faded green tee shirt and a rather beat-up pair of shorts. "Sorry that they're so old, but we don't always have enough money for new things…"

Ellie flashed her a brilliant smile. "Ginny, I think they're wonderful. Better than this getup, at any rate. Besides, it isn't how many possessions someone has or how good of shape their belongings are in that make them good, it's what their hearts are like. You're a wonderful person."

The tops of Ginny's ears turned bright red.

Half an hour later, Ellie and Ginny were standing in front of the fireplace in McGonagall's office, listening to the professor tell them what they needed to get for Ellie in Diagon Alley. "… and a Potions kit should round it out. Oh, and of course, you will need money for everything. Just go to Gringott's bank and tell them that you wish to be taken to the Dumbledore-Mason vault. You'll see what I mean when you get there."

"Oh… alright." Ellie took a cloth bag from the professor and stuffed it into her bag.

"Now, Miss Weasley, you may go first. Remember, Remus and Tonks should be waiting for you. Do _not_ leave the Leaky Cauldron without them, and give them my best. I shall be waiting for your return. Also, if you get the chance, I would like you to start instructing Miss Mason in the art of magic. Just teach her some spells and charms that you find useful. The time for such petty rules as the underage magic laws are behind us, ladies. Have fun, and good luck." Professor McGonagall held out a small vase half-full of glittering powder. "Watch closely, Miss Mason."

Ginny took a small pinch of the powder and stepped right into the fireplace. Turning around, she threw the dust down and shouted, "Diagon Alley!" A green flame rose from nowhere, and Ginny spun right out of sight.

"Now you, Miss Mason. Remember to be very clear with your dialect, we don't want you ending up somewhere that you shouldn't be." McGonagall held the vase out to Ellie, who nervously took a pinch of Floo powder and stepped into the fireplace, where the warm green flames left behind by Ginny were just dying down. "Good luck."

Ellie merely nodded. _Who are Lupin and Tonks, anyhow? Ginny never mentioned them._ Throwing down the powder, she said, "Diagon Alley!" Her world became a blur of green flame as she began to spin; occasionally she saw the inside of somebody's living room or kitchen before she had to shut her eyes to keep from being sick. She only opened them when she skidded out of a fireplace in a cloud of soot, coughing slightly. _What a ride…_

"I should say so! That was pretty fun, Princess!" said Axel. Ellie could almost hear him smirking.

_Oh, shut up._

"Hey, Ellie! So, how do you like Flooing?" said Ginny as she helped her friend up and dusted her off. "It isn't the cleanest method of transportation. Mum always used to bring a carpet brush with her." Ginny's eyes teared up slightly at the mention of her mother. "I haven't seen her since the beginning of break, or Dad. I hope they're alright… Anyhow, I don't see Tonks or Lupin anywhere, and Luna and Neville don't seem to be here yet, either. I guess we should just find a seat and wait."

"Wotcher, Ginny!" A thin girl with dark hair, an unfortunately large nose, and bushy eyebrows sidled up to the two girls as they sat at an empty table. She was wearing a T-shirt advertising The Weird Sisters, whoever they were, and her jeans were artfully ripped.

"Who are-" Ginny looked up in surprise before she gasped happily. "Tonks! Why are you in disguise?" She stood back up and hugged the girl, who squeezed back just as hard. "And where is Lupin?"

"He's out back, disguising himself. He isn't the most popular person around here, as you know. As for me, I've got some reconnaissance to do today, so I didn't want to be seen as me. You can call me Dory, no one will know any better." Tonks smiled brightly at Ellie and stuck out a hand. "Nymphadora Tonks. Don't you dare call me Nymphadora on a normal day, I hate that name."

"Ellie Mason." Ellie shook the girl's hand. "It's nice to meet you. Are you at Hogwarts, as well?"

Ginny and Tonks both giggled. "No, no, I'm a bit too old for that. I am an Auror and," Tonks's voice dropped to a whisper, "a member of the Order, though that last one is a bit of a secret."

"Why?"

"The Ministry is corrupt. You-Know-Who has gotten control of the Minister, and anyone who they find out is working for the Order is shot to the top of their Public Enemies list, right below Harry, Ron, and Hermione," Tonks said softly. "The new one just came out this morning. They finally came right out and blamed Harry for killing Dumbledore, and the newest leads on their whereabouts claim that Harry is in the Australian Outback while Ron and Hermione are vacationing in the Florida Everglades."

Ginny stifled a giggle. "I bet you anything that Malfoy told them that. Ellie, tell Ron and Hermione to watch out for alligators next time you see them, and warn Harry about the dangers of getting too near to kangaroos and/or petting the koalas."

"Who's petting a koala?" A tall, grungy man wrapped an arm securely about Tonks's waist and smiled brightly, showing off a mouthful of rotting teeth.

"According to the new Public Enemies list produced by the Ministry this morning, Harry is, and Hermione and Ron are supposedly making friends with alligators in the Everglades." Tonks leaned up to kiss the stranger but pulled back immediately, gagging slightly. "Did you have to become somebody with such bad breath, Remus?"

"That's Rufus, Dory," said the tall man. He finally caught Ellie's eye and blinked several times before sticking out a thin hand. "My name is Remus Lupin, but today I'm Rufus."

"It's nice to meet you, Remus. I'm-"

"I know who you are, Ellie. I'm your godfather." Remus smiled sadly as Ellie, Ginny, and Tonks all gaped at him.

"My godfather? I don't remember being told that I have a godfather…" said Ellie slowly.

"You have a goddaughter?! Goodness, Rufus, didn't you think I should know that before I agreed to marry you? What if I hadn't wanted to be a godmother?!" asked Tonks at the same time.

"I was going to tell you, Dory, but I didn't think that I would ever see Ellie again. For all I knew, she might have died and I wouldn't have known. Sorry…"

Tonks rolled her eyes at him and grinned. "No problem, I was just surprised, that's all."

"But, how did you even meet my parents, Rufus?" asked Ellie.

"I was a schoolmate of your mother's, and one of her best friends. Your parents asked me before you were born, and how could I say no? I was the first person to hold you after your grandmother. You certainly have grown up to be a beautiful young lady, Ellie. You're the mirror image of your mother."

Ellie blushed. "Thank you, Rufus." Hesitating for a moment, Ellie hugged him tightly. He hugged her back after a moment, and when he pulled away from her he was grinning broadly.

"The mirror image of your mother, except she didn't have any yellow streaks in her hair…" Lupin looked more closely at Ellie's streaks and gasped as they changed from yellow to blue. "Goodness!"

"Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting about those… I'm not sure what all of the colors mean yet, though I think I just figured out two more. Yellow means that I'm embarrassed, and blue means that I'm happy. They're normally green, but they start flashing all colors of the rainbow when I'm confused."

"Oh, I see." Lupin looked around for a few moments before shrugging. "Are we actually waiting on anyone else, or is this it?"

"Luna and Neville should be here soon. By the way, McGonagall sends her best, and she says that she'll be waiting for us to come back." said Ginny as she shook Lupin's hand in greeting. She looked from him to Tonks and back again before sighing. "I give up, I can't take not knowing. How are my parents?"

Tonks smiled cheekily. "They're both fine, though Arthur told me just yesterday that the twins are driving Molly up the wall. They send her a different practical joke a day, along with several real letters at different set times, and since she wants to make sure they're not hurt she always opens them."

"That sounds like Fred and George," laughed Ginny. "Oh, that's right, Ellie doesn't know about them yet. Fred and George are the youngest older brothers I have, except for Ron. They're twins, and they were born on April Fool's Day, which we think may account for how many pranks they pull. Next after them is Percy, who is a pig-headed, nincompoop, jerk of a sibling who works for the Minister, and then Charlie, who works with dragons over in Romania and tries to recruit foreign wizards to the Order, and the oldest is Bill, who works for Gringotts. Bill is about to get married, or he's supposed to. At this rate, the wedding may have to be called off…"

"Don't be so positive, Ginny! God, if you think any happier than that the world might just explode into rainbows and butterflies!" Tonks laughed at her joke.

"Oh, be quiet, Dory."

"Dory? Oh, Ginny, don't tell me one of the Potkiers got to you, I did warn you about them," said a dreamy voice. Ellie, Ginny, Lupin, and Tonks turned to see a pale girl with dirty blonde hair and silvery eyes that were bulging just a tiny bit as she looked at her friend in concern.

"Hey, Luna! And, no, I don't believe that a Potkier got to me. What do they do, anyhow?"

"Well, they attach themselves to your vocal cords and make you say the wrong words all of the time, especially names." Luna turned her wide gaze onto Tonks and Lupin before smiling knowingly. "Oh, I get it now. That's what we're calling you today, isn't it?"

Tonks smiled. "Very observant of you, Luna."

"And how are you today, Professor Lupin?"

"Very well, thank you." Lupin looked like he was trying not to snicker. "However, my name is Rufus today."

"Ah, I see." Luna turned to Ellie and smiled kindly. "And you must be Ellie Mason. Harry told me a little bit about you in his letter last night, and I must say, you sound like a very interesting person. My name is Luna Lovegood, if you hadn't already figured it out." And Luna wrapped her arms around Ellie and hugged her even tighter than Lupin had.

"Er… Thanks." Ellie patted Luna awkwardly on the back as the pale girl continued to embrace her.

"You are a very nice girl, Ellie Mason. I should think we will become great friends." Luna finally pulled back and beamed at her.

_I wouldn't be so sure of that…_ Ellie was saved from responding only because Luna moved on to hug Ginny. _How did she know Lupin and Tonks, anyhow? I thought that they were supposed to be in disguise. They must not be very good disguises… Then again, Ginny didn't recognize Tonks at first…_

"Maybe this Loony girl can see things that others can't. There is more to a person's identity than their physical appearance, Princess."

_I know that, Axel, but to be able to tell who someone is no matter what they look like is just weird…_

"Hello, sorry I'm a little late," said a newcomer. The group turned to see a young man with brown hair and a round face. "How are you, Ginny? What about you, Luna?"

"Neville!" Ginny and Luna both hugged the boy, and he struggled to get his arms around both of them. "I'm alright."

"As am I, Neville. How are you today?" asked Luna.

Neville shrugged as their embrace ended. "Not that great, actually. Some of the Ministry went after Uncle Algie and Aunt Enid late last night. They nearly got them, too. If Hestia Jones hadn't been staying with them, I'm sure they would be in Azkaban by now."

Tonks narrowed her eyes. "Neville, why would they be going after Algie and Enid? I hadn't heard about that particular course of action."

Neville looked at her suspiciously. "Why would I tell you anything?"

Lupin smiled, and Neville recoiled from the rotten grin. "We're just in disguise, Neville. It's me, Remus Lupin, and Auror Tonks, you remember her from June. We're your escorts today, so you can call us Rufus and Dory," he whispered.

"Oh, I see." Neville instantly looked relieved; it was obvious that he trusted Lupin. "Well, Uncle Algie was saying things about the Ministry being in cahoots with You-Know-Who. I'm not sure he knows how right he is, he was just mad about their lack of action for all the deaths, but they didn't like it very much," he said sadly. "The last I heard Uncle Algie and Aunt Enid were fleeing to France and Hestia was going to a cousin's house."

"Then I'll have to leak some information that Enid and Algie are going to Australia to help Harry, and Hestia can go to Florida with Ron and Hermione," said Tonks with an utmost serious expression. All four students laughed, but Tonks shook her head. "The sad thing is that they might just believe me. They believe that anyone and everyone who isn't siding with the Ministry is best friends with Harry. Just last week Penelope Clearwater was tossed in Azkaban for refusing to transcribe a piece of legislature making it illegal to marry a werewolf, on the 'official' grounds that she has been leaking information to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as if there was any information that they would want from her. It still hasn't been passed because of the treatment they gave her, bless her."

"But that's awful, Dory!" cried Ginny.

"Of course it is, Ginny, but who cares about werewolves?" asked Lupin bitterly. "It doesn't do to associate with them, after all, they're terrible creatures, not even human."

Everyone but Ellie rolled their eyes, and Ellie spoke up at a whisper. "Rufus, why do you hate werewolves so much?"

"It isn't so much that I hate werewolves as I hate being one," he said, so softly that he could barely be heard.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that…"

"No, it's quite alright, you needed to know what your godfather is."

"No, Rufus, she needed to know _who_ her godfather is. You are a great person, no matter what those Ministry fools and Pureblood scum may say otherwise," said Tonks, putting her arms around him. "I- we- love you for you, regardless of any misfortune you may have."

Remus smiled wanly. "Thank you very much, Dory."

Neville finally turned his gaze to Ellie. "I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, Ellie. My name is Neville Longbottom. Harry wrote to me last night and told me a bit about you. I didn't expect you to look so much like Ginny, though."

"That's alright, Neville. You never really got the chance until now. It's nice to meet you." Ellie and Neville shook hands for a moment before Lupin clasped his hands together and coughed slightly.

"We really do need to get a move-on. First stop is Gringott's. How many vaults are we visiting?"

"Daddy doesn't trust Gringott's. He thinks that they're too angry with wizards because of their problems with Fudge, what with his boiling them and everything," said Luna, digging through her large bag and pulling out a smaller bag that clinked as she dropped it back in. "I have my money right here."

"And Gran came to Gringott's a few days ago to get money. She gave me mine, also," said Neville, holding up another bag of coins.

Ginny blushed slightly as she looked at her feet. "I forgot about that. I'll need to go to mine."

_I wonder why she's so embarrassed about that? Oh, right…_ Ellie frowned slightly as she recalled the conversation about clothes that she had shared with Ginny this morning. _Maybe her vault doesn't have very much in it._

"Think again, Ginny," said Tonks, tossing her yet another bag of coins. "Your parents have emptied their account and are keeping everything at The Burrow. Arthur gave me this for you to use."

Ginny grinned, and Ellie shrugged. "Professor McGonagall told me that I have to go to the Dumble-"

"Sh! Not here, Ellie," whispered Lupin frantically as he pulled her towards an obscure door. The people at the surrounding tables had looked up in interest, and they continued to watch the group until the door was securely closed behind her.

"What were they all looking at?"

"Ellie, the name Dumbledore isn't exactly a common one. To say that you are going to Dumbledore's bank vault is going to grab people's attention." Lupin withdrew his wand from a pocket of his shabby overcoat and tapped the solid wall above a trashcan. The brick he touched melted away, and Ellie's eyes widened as the entire wall opened to reveal a crowded street. "Well, at least it looks like more people are here than the last time I was. I had feared that the shops might have to close."

"It is rather busy today, isn't it? Come on, let's go." Tonks started down the street, but stopped and raised her eyes at a large queue of excited witches and wizards outside one of the shops.

"Is that Ollivander's?" asked Ginny. "Why are there so many people there? I thought that they closed when he went missing."

_Ollivander? Where have I heard that name before? I don't remember…_

"Yes, haven't you heard? One of his distant relatives was due to take over the shop this week. Since Ollivander has been missing for so long, they're trying to sell out all of the wands that he has already made," said Luna. "Daddy says that it's because Ollivander has discovered the Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and found out that their hairs are much better for wands that unicorns, and that he wants to get rid of all of the other, sub-standard wands before he comes out with his new line."

Neville smiled slightly. "I don't know about Crumple-Horned Snorkack hairs, but Great-Uncle Algie told Gran that there is someone claiming to be related who is going to reopen the store, and Uncle Algie doesn't think they really are related. He thinks that this is just a Death Eater in disguise."

"I don't know about that, but we definitely need to get you down here ASAP, Ellie. An Ollivander wand is still an Ollivander wand, no matter who the salesman is," said Lupin.

"Actually, I was wondering if someone wouldn't mind staying here with me. I need to check this guy out for work, whoever he is, which could take some time, so I'm afraid I can't go to Gringott's with you," explained Tonks. Lowering her voice to a whisper once more, she winked. "I'm also going to be checking things out for the Order, just to make sure that this isn't a Death Eater."

"I'll stay!" said Ginny, smiling at her older friend.

"Yes, so will I," said Luna. "I've always wanted to spy for the Order of the Phoenix."

"Alright, girls, thank you. Now, please, come back here. Rufus, you need to bring those two, as well." Tonks swept down a side street and waited until there was nobody outside of the group watching before scrunching her nose in painful concentration. Ellie's eyebrows shot up as Tonks suddenly shrunk down to the size of a ten or eleven year old girl. Her hair turned the color of straw, and her dark, twinkling eyes grew pale silver and wide. "I have now become Lucy Lovegood, Luna's younger sister. I mean, really, how many people actually know your family well enough to know that I don't exist, Luna?"

"Wow! You really do look like my little sister, Lucy!" Luna put her arms around Tonks and hugged her.

"It is an excellent disguise, dear, but I must admit that it is rather disconcerting to see my bride-to-be looking like a school girl," Lupin laughed. Apparently, nobody but Ellie was particularly shocked at the sight of Tonks becoming a completely different person.

"B-but how did you do that? Will _I_ be able to do that once I get my wand? Why didn't Harry, Ron, and Hermione just disguise themselves instead of running?"

Tonks giggled as she fashioned her now-long hair into a messy ponytail (which highly resembled Luna's) with skilled fingers. "No, Ellie, not everyone can do this. I'm a Metamorphagus, you see. I can change my appearance at will, though usually I just do my hair to spice things up a bit. It isn't a learned thing, you have to be born a Metamorphagus, which is rare enough in and of itself."

Ellie sighed in fascination. "It's really nifty, Lucy."

"Why, thank you very much, Ellie." Tonks was now rolling up the legs of her suddenly long jeans, and she pulled a floaty pumpkin-orange robe from her backpack.

"Are we ready, then? These three will stay here and investigate the wand shop while we head up to Gringott's." Lupin turned on his heel and led the way out of the alley. Ginny and Luna quickly hugged both Ellie and Neville before they followed the disgustingly-disguised man, falling into a comfortable silence as they drew away from the crowd. Ellie gaped around her in awe; there were shops like Eeylop's Owl Emporium, Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, and Flourish and Blotts (which had a rather large display of books in the front window). There was a display of cauldrons in front of one store, and a group of people that nearly rivaled the one in front of Ollivander's was gathered around a storefront named Quality Quidditch Supplies.

_I certainly hope I have time to look around after we go back to Ollivander's and get my school supplies! This looks like an amazing place!_

"Rufus?" asked Neville after a very long minute of strained silence.

"Yes, Neville?"

"Do you know if the Death Eaters are using Muggles? I heard a strange rumor from Luna, but that one just seemed more substantial than most of her ideas."

Lupin turned in astonishment. "Excuse me?"

Ellie nodded. "Yes, they are. A large part of the group that attacked Radiant Gardens was made of people who weren't using magic at all. I myself know a Muggle Death Eater."

"How? Why? It makes no sense!" said Lupin as he started down the street once more. "Why would Voldemort use Muggles when he hates them so?"

"I think it makes a lot of sense," said Ellie. Both Neville and Lupin gave her strange looks, and she sighed loudly. "Alright, suppose Voldemort wanted to find Hope, which he does. What if she was hidden away on a planet of stronger magic than wands and incantations can produce? What if he can't break through their enchantments using magic? If he has people who are skilled fighters without magic, he could send them to collect Hope. The people of that planet would be so taken aback by a physical attack rather than a magical one that they wouldn't know what to do. The Muggle I know who is a Death Eater is really, really strong, and I bet that he's grown even stronger. They probably only allow immensely powerful Muggles in. Really, Muggles would make a great addition to their army of Heartless, too."

Neville nodded after a few second, although he was frowning. "I think you're right, Ellie. It does kind of make sense. What doesn't make sense is why there are so many people here. This time last year half of the shops were closed, and the only one that's boarded up now is Fortescue's."

"Yes, it does, and no, it doesn't. However, we need to put this conversation on hold until we get to a more private location. Right now, it is time to get inside Gringott's," said Lupin, gesturing to a white marble building that was gigantic in comparison to the rest of Diagon Alley. "Lucy and I will explain everything once we get to Fred and George's."

Neville grinned broadly and turned to Ellie. "You'll love it there! It's the best shop in all of Diagon Alley, in my opinion."

"Where is it? Do Ginny's older brothers own it?"

"Yes, they do, and their shop is farther down. That will be the last place we go," said Lupin. The group climbed the stairs to the bank, and Ellie gasped when she saw the creatures that were standing on either side of the large doors. "Don't worry, Ellie, goblins won't hurt you. That is, they won't hurt you unless you cross them. This entire bank is run by goblins, with the exception of a very few wizards like Ginny's oldest brother Bill."

"Oh…" Ellie said faintly as they entered the building. She glanced nervously at a large sign that posted a warning to potential thieves as they passed it and stepped into a tall hall. There were cubicles upon cubicles of goblins measuring treasure or talking with witches and wizards, as well as even more guard goblins. Lupin took Ellie and Neville to one of the empty cubicles and smiled. The goblin sneered at his teeth.

"How can I help you?"

"This young lady needs to make a withdrawal." Lupin pushed Ellie forward, and she tried to smile.

"H-hi."

The goblin's sneer grew. "Well, then, do you have your key?"

Ellie swallowed nervously. "No, I didn't get a key. Professor McGonagall just told me to go the Dumbledore-Mason vault when I got here…"

The goblin looked astonished for a moment, but he quickly recovered and gave her an oily grin that made her shudder. "Very well, Miss Mason. I will take you to the Dumbledore-Mason vault, but only you may come."

"Hey, now, why can't we come with her? We're her escorts, after all," asked Lupin indignantly.

"Yeah, she's never done this before, we can't let her go by herself!" asserted Neville.

"Either she goes alone, or she doesn't go at all," said the goblin softly, his eyes riveted on Ellie. She gulped again. "What say you, Miss Mason?"

"I guess I have to go, don't I?" _I don't like this…_

"Yes, yes you do. Come along, this way." The goblin opened a small door beside the cubicle and came out, leading the group towards a dark doorway. When they reached it, the goblin turned to Lupin and Neville. "You may wait here."

"But, sir, I really do think-"

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" A tall man with a long red ponytail and an earring walked up to the group, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. His face was run through with several scars, but he was still quite handsome. "And Neville? What's going on here, Griphook? And Ginny, what did you do to your hair?"

"Ah, Bill Weasley, just the man I was hoping to find!" Lupin grabbed Bill's hand and shook it exuberantly.

"Er…"

"Bill, this is my cousin, _Rufus_. You must remember him. He's with Ellie and I today." Neville winked at Bill. "This isn't your sister, either. Her name is Ellie Mason, I'm sure you remember Ginny talking about her?"

Bill's mouth formed a perfect O before he turned to Griphook and nodded. "That's right. She's a friend of my sister's. They look remarkably alike, you see."

The goblin's forehead creased even more than it already had. "I see… Well, Mr. Weasley, would you care to accompany us to her vault?"

"Of course, of course!" Bill grinned. "What are we waiting for? Let's get this show on the road and let them get back to their shopping!"

"Very well." Griphook opened the doors and allowed Bill and Ellie into the dark, cool chamber beyond. As soon as they were out of sight and Griphook was smirking at Ellie again, Ellie heard a strange whisper.

"Confundo." Griphook's eyes suddenly went out of focus, and he turned to Bill with a genuine, if creepy, smile on his face. Ellie saw Bill slipping a wand into the pocket of his robes.

"Go on ahead and take her to the Dumbledore-Mason vault, Mr. Weasley. The cart is on its way now." Griphook turned on his heel and went back through. Bill smiled brightly once more.

"Confundus Charm. I had to do it, because he would have taken you down there and not let you out."

Ellie raised her eyebrows. "He has that bad of a temper?"

Bill shook his head. "No, you just happened to stumble upon one of the goblins here who have been placed under the Imperius Curse. If anybody affiliated with the Order comes here they are supposed to lock them up and throw away the key. They haven't yet been instructed to capture Neville, as everyone knows that he's just a bumbling fool who hangs out with the wrong crowd, and Rufus isn't a known wizard, so he certainly isn't in any danger. You, however, are right up there on their list."

"Oh, great, so now I have goblins coming after me. That's all I need," said Ellie.

"Don't sweat it; he doesn't think he needs to capture you now, and none of the other goblins up there heard anything, or else they would have stopped working," said Bill as a large cart came hurtling towards them. It screeched to a halt next to them, and Bill helped Ellie climb into it. As he hopped in beside her, she saw a flash of silver inside his robes. "You might want to hold on, this can be a bit of a bumpy ride. Alright, to the Dumbledore-Mason vault!"

Ellie drew in a sharp breath as the cart virtually flew down the tracks it was on, taking unexpected turns and sudden drop-offs that nearly threw her out of the cart. _Bill wasn't kidding! Why do wizards have to have such crazy methods of transportation?!_

"Aw, come on, Princess! This is fun!" laughed Axel as the cart began speeding up a large hill. "Just sit back and enjoy yourself!"

_Ha! How can I enjoy myself when I'm about to fall out of the cart?!_ Ellie clamped one hand to her mouth to keep from screaming as the cart began its descent, speeding up horribly. _Please make it stop soon… Is that fire? And water?!_ Sure enough, the cart had begun to slow down substantially, and she could actually take in the scenery around her, including a large underground lake and a pale dragon. The brakes of the cart screeched loudly when it came to a halt outside of a large, ornate door with no handle. Bill jumped out and offered Ellie his arm so she could follow him. "Is this it?"

"Yes. Come on, let's go. We don't want to waste any more time down here than is necessary." Bill gestured her forward, and she walked to the large vault with a bit of a nervous feeling in her stomach.

"Er… What exactly do I do?"

"Just state your name to the door. It should let you in, but then again, I've never been down here before, so I could have bad information."

_Here goes…_ "My name is Elizabeth Mason." Ellie jumped slightly when the door completely melted away. Both she and Bill stood completely still for several seconds after that, but Bill finally sighed and shrugged.

"Sorry, Ellie, but I guess it didn't work. Maybe you need to try it again or something…"

"What? Bill, can't you tell that the door is just completely gone?" Ellie put a hand out and stuck through the middle of the doorway, causing Bill to draw in a sharp breath. "What?"

"You just stuck your hand through what looks like a solid door, that's what." Bill lifted his hand and tried to go through the doorway, but it was as if he had hit an invisible wall. "See what I mean? I can't go inside."

"I guess that means that I go by myself, then," she said. She pulled the small cloth bag from her messenger bag and walked into the room, shocked by what she saw. Gold, silver, and bronze coins were piled all around the room, as well as several treasures and smaller piles of gems. Ellie finally shook herself off, scooped some of the coins into her bag, and walked back outside. "Bill, will this be enough? There's tons more, if I need it." Bill looked inside the bag and turned slightly pale. _What's the matter with him?_ "Bill?"

"Um… Yeah, that should be _plenty_. Let's get you back upstairs," he said. "We don't want to keep Neville and Rufus waiting too long." Ellie dropped the money back into her bag before climbing back into the cart once more.

The cart ride was just as horrible on the ride back up, and Ellie found herself clinging to the sides of the cart for dear life by the time they made it back to the entrance. "That… ride is… _so_ bad," she whispered, gasping for the breath she had been holding for the past minute. "How do you stand it?"

Bill laughed down at her as they clambered onto solid ground once more. "I've never had any problems with it. It's kind of fun, actually."

_Some fun…_ Ellie smiled queasily at Neville and Lupin as she began to step back into the lobby, but Bill put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back. "What?"

"Tell your friends that everything is just fine here other than the situation I told you about earlier, and that the Imperiused goblins haven't been acting up, although there have been some new additions to their ranks. Oh, and when you see Ginny tell her that I'm fine. I'm sure she's worried sick about me." Bill smiled before putting a disgruntled expression on his face and stalking back into the lobby. Ellie followed him, stopping by Neville and Lupin and watching him join another human who was working near Griphook. "Another new customer! Honestly, they're _so_ naïve."

_I wonder what that was all about…_

"Come on, Princess! He told you that he was having to pretend to hate the Order of the Phoenix! He's trying to make sure no one else looks twice at you."

_You're probably right, Axel, although I do wish that you would stop calling me that._

"Not gonna happen soon. Oh, wait a minute… Yup, I gotta go talk to the guys in charge. I'll talk to you later." And with that, Axel was gone. Ellie sighed in relief.

"What was the vault like, Ellie?" Lupin was looking at her oddly, and Ellie shrugged.

"I don't know. There was a lot inside it, but Bill couldn't get inside. I suppose it only opens for people in my family or something," she whispered back. Lupin blinked in disbelief, and Ellie and Neville looked at him oddly.

"Rufus, are you alright?" Neville asked. "You look a bit odd."

"Yes, I'm fine," said Lupin quietly. " It's just… never mind. You do have your money, right?"

"Yes, it's in the bag."

"Fine. Let's go." Lupin led the two students back into Diagon Alley and down to the wand shop in silence. The air was fraught with tension, however, and his gait was much faster than it had been earlier.

_Something's wrong. Why is Lupin acting like this? He was fine before we got to Gringotts…_ "Rufus, is everything alright?"

"Yes, I just told you that. We just took a little longer in there than I expected." he answered quickly. Neville and Ellie exchanged a glance as they sped past the shops towards the mass of people outside of Ollivander's. "Oh, good, the others haven't made it inside yet. Maybe we can get you in and out faster than I thought."

Tonks, Ginny, and Luna all turned around and grinned at them from the front of the line, but Tonks' eyes narrowed when she saw the grim expression on Lupin's face. "What happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Yes, we are all fine. I'm just a little confused. Lucy, you need to go change and come right back here. Ginny and Ellie will be waiting for you right here. Neville, Luna, you'll be coming with me. Ginny, give me your shopping list and your money, and Ellie, give me most of your money. We'll go shopping for books and other necessities. Ellie, we'll get your other things after we meet at the twins' shop." Lupin was talking very quietly and quickly, but everyone was already moving. Ginny handed over her small bag of coins and her paper, and Ellie scooped off the top layer or two from her money before giving it to him, as well. "Alright, go to the store as soon as you can. We'll see you there, alright? And Ellie, don't even _think_ about talking about anything that happened at the bank until then."

"Er… Okay…" Ellie nodded slowly as Lupin glared down at her before turning on his heel and striding away, Luna and Neville rushing along behind him. Tonks slipped away as Ginny turned to Ellie with an odd look.

"I don't want any details, exactly, but did something go wrong at the bank?"

"Not that I noticed…"

Tonks rejoined them shortly, grimacing and sporting bright red hair. She looked exactly like Ginny or Ellie's older sister. "I'm not sure that I like Rufus being so worried. Something bad obviously happened at the bank. Ellie, perhaps you should come up with a fake name, and here, you can wear this-" Tonks plopped a hat onto Ellie's head and tucked her hair inside it- "to cover up your hair. While the color is really cool, it's also probably unique, and we don't want anybody to figure out who you are."

"Next up, please come right on in!" A boy and his parents left the wand shop beaming in front of a rather harried-looking man who was smiling nervously. "Hurry, hurry please. We don't want to make your young one wait for her wand, do we?" He gestured

"Right this way, girls!" Tonks pushed Ellie and Ginny into the shop. After her eyes adjusted to the dim and dusty room, Ellie looked around in amazement. Floor to ceiling shelves housed row upon row of long, thin boxes for as far as she could see into the shop; two chairs sat by the door, and Ginny and Tonks promptly sat in them, their eyes gleaming. Ginny looked excited, while Tonks just looked nervous.

"I take it that _you_ are the lucky girl to get a wand?" The man peered down at Ellie with small, dark eyes, and Ellie nodded meekly. "Very good, very good. Now, I need to get some measurements… Tape measure!" The man pulled a wand from his pocket and pointed it at the windowsill. A small gadget rose from behind Ginny and floated to him, but he put it down in disgust. "No, no, not that one. That's my thermometer."

Ellie saw Tonks shift from the corner of her eye, but suddenly there was a tape measure blocking her vision as it went around her head. _Something isn't right…_

"Now, what did you say that your name was, girl?"

"Um… Clarice… Anderson! Clarice Anderson." Ellie blushed as the name burst from her lips. Ginny had her fist in her mouth when the tape measure moved from in front of her eyes, and Ellie glared daggers at her.

"Anderson? I don't know any wizards by that name. Should I know your parents?" The strange man stared at her as she collected her thoughts.

"Er… No, sorry. I'm a Muggleborn, you see. I didn't know about this world until a couple weeks ago, when my cousins here told me all about it. Mother and Father hadn't heard of this world until a few days ago." The man's eyes hardened slightly, and Ellie saw Tonks shift again. _Something is DEFINITELY wrong here…_

"Yes, well, that's quite alright, dear. Only, if your parents had been wizards, we could have used their wands as a guideline for the one you'll get. Now, how about… This one? Ten and three-quarter inches, oak, unicorn hair, unbendable." The strange man pulled a box from the front shelf and gave Ellie the wand inside it. She took it and waved it a little. A loud roar echoed throughout the room, causing a glass vase on the cluttered desk, and everyone covered their ears as Ellie dropped the wand in shock. The man picked the wand back up and stowed it in its box. "Obviously not. This one? It's 12 inches flat, springy, unicorn hair, and made of elm." This wand did absolutely nothing, and the man finally took it back and stowed it away. "This one, then, I'm sure of it. Eleven and one-quarter inches, maple wood, quite stiff, dragon heartstrings. Yes, this one will work, or my name is not Ollivander." Ellie took it and waved it around, and everyone gasped as sparks began to shoot out of the end. However, the wand soon just began to spew puffs of odorous green smoke instead, and Ellie gave the wand back in disappointment.

_I didn't think that it would take this long… I guess he isn't really Ollivander._

"Well, that's probably as good as we're going to get. That will be eleven Galleons, would you like me to wrap it up?"

"Excuse me?!" Tonks rose to her feet, staring at the man so fiercely that he took a step backward. "That wand isn't the right one, it obviously isn't working well for her! I will not let my little cousin by such a sub-standard wand!"

The man looked at the floor before speaking again. "Well, it almost worked, and that was the third wand we had tried…"

"The third?! It took me thirty four tries to find the right wand, and that was with the real Ollivander here!" Tonks threw herself back into the chair. "You will keep trying until you find Clarice the right wand, do you understand?!"

"Y-yes ma'am." The man turned back to the shelves meekly, and Ellie turned to stare at Tonks, who winked at her.

After thirty minutes of trying wands, however, Ellie was getting exhausted. The desk was filled with ones that hadn't worked for her, and some of the pile was beginning to slide to the floor. As she handed back a wand that had caused boils to erupt all over her hand (which had to be removed by Tonks), she was about to give up hope. _This is ridiculous! Why aren't they working correctly?_

"Here, try this. Eight and one-half inch, phoenix feather, cherry wood. Rather swishy, better for more advanced magic, so it probably won't work for you." The man handed her yet another wand, and Ellie waved it listlessly. Almost at once she felt a tingle in her arm, and bright blue sparks erupted from the end of the wand, spiraling to the floor and bouncing around the room for several seconds before fading away. Tonks and Ginny applauded, the man heaved a sigh of relief, and Ellie grinned. "Ah, finally, we have a winner! Now, this one is only ten Galleons. Would you like me to wrap it for you to take to school?"

"Um…"

"No, she'll just carry it!" Tonks shoved ten pieces of gold into the man's hand and grabbed Ellie's arm. "Thanks so much!"

"Not a problem, ma'am, not a problem." The man began carting the piles of wands to the back of the store as Tonks bustled Ginny and Ellie outside. Ellie was shocked to see that there was no more crowd, although there had been at least fifteen people still waiting behind them.

"Dory, what do you think happened to everybody?" asked Ginny, sounding just as confused as Ellie felt.

"I may have opened a window, maybe in the hopes that the crowd would realize that this new 'Ollivander' was a phony." Tonks shook her head. "That was ridiculous, he had no idea what he was doing. However, we'll talk a little bit more later. Just keep a look-out for anything that you don't like and try to keep up with me. Ellie, you can pay me back when we get to the store, but we need to get going."

Ellie nodded, even though Tonks was ahead of her, tucked her brand new wand into the waistband of her shorts, and began scanning the crowds. They had made it all the way past the bank before someone caught her attention. _No, he can NOT be here! How is that possible?!_

* * *

Khgirl08: Hm… I wonder who it is?

Ellie: Hey! That isn't fair!

Khgirl08: That's called payback, Ellie. It's what happens when you don't give me any Moose Tracks.

Ellie: -pouts-

Khgirl08: Anyhow, I'm going to try and update sooner rather than later. I have chapter nine done and I'm working on chapter ten, so when I get finished with that one you'll have some new material to exclaim over. 'til then, happy reading!


	9. Patroni, Death Eaters, and Twins, Oh My!

Khgirl08: Howdy! Here's the next chapter…

Ellie: And here's the recipients of our delicious cupcakes for today:

**Danielle and VampireEmo7S**

Hope it makes you happy! =)

Khgirl08: Let's get this show on the road, because I've been falling quite far behind recently.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Ellie and all of the other Maple Brook residents. I won't even lay claim to Sky, Hope, Deni, and David, because I only half created them. Please don't shove a copyright under my nose…

* * *

"Dory?" Ellie tugged on the back of Tonks' T-shirt, pulling the Auror back to her. She was still kind of in shock.

"What's the matter, Ellie?" Tonks and Ginny looked at her in concern, and she swallowed nervously, still staring at the nearest corner.

"I know that man. His name is Porter, and he's a Muggle Death Eater."

"A Muggle Death Eater?!" Tonks' eyes flitted to the bald head of Porter and back to Ellie before she set her jaw. "How do you know him, Ellie?"

"I met him on the Destiny Islands. He and his friends tried to force me off of their turf but I beat them in a fight, and then he showed up again later, alone, and broke Sora's daughter's arm before fighting me again. He's a creepy jerk, albeit a really strong creepy jerk, and he's obsessed with me. I saw him once more the night Disney Castle was attacked, and that was when he told me that he had become a Death Eater. He was so much stronger that time…"

"So you even have your own pet Death Eater… That's fantastic." Tonks quickly ducked down between Ellie and Ginny, looking as if she were just adjusting her shoelaces. When she stood, however, she looked identical to Ellie, minus the hair streaks. "Look, you two get down to the shop ASAP. I'll just change again after I get him properly distracted, and I'll send a message if I need any help. Ginny, if you notice that someone is tracking you two do _not_ go into the twins' shop. Just keep wandering around until they leave. Good luck," she finished before sweeping off towards the corner where Porter was standing.

"Let's not stand around and watch," said Ginny. The taller red-head took off at a normal pace, but Ellie noticed that the path she was taking wove in and out of the crowd a little more than necessary. Just as Ellie spotted a brightly colored shop that she might have wanted to explore if she wasn't so worried, however, Ginny took a sharp turn to the right and slipped between two buildings.

"Where are we going?" asked Ellie.

"The back entrance to the shop," answered Ginny. "I figured that no one would be able to spot us jumping back here." She stopped at the fourth door they came to and knocked loudly. "Open up!"

The door was opened thirty seconds later by yet another red head. This one was about the same height as Ginny but a little thicker, and he was sporting a broad grin and a merry twinkle in his brown eyes. His magenta robes clashed severely with his hair and skin tone, but it somehow seemed to fit him. "I thought I heard my ickle sister at the door! And, if I'm not mistaken…" The man stared at Ellie for a moment, his grin turning into a look of serious contemplation before he snapped his fingers, removed the hat from Ellie's head, setting her hair free, and beaming at her. "Yes, there's no doubt about it! Gin-Gin's gotten herself a twin, too! Although I will admit, your new doppelganger does look a little better…" he said, laughing quietly.

_Actually, he was quiet the whole time. I wonder if something's wrong._

"Oh, shut up Fred!" Ginny pushed her way past her older brother with a giggle. Ellie also laughed and followed Ginny into what looked like a store room. Boxes were piled haphazardly everywhere she turned, some of which seemed to be emitting loud noises, and a broom was busying itself by sweeping out the corners. Fred shut the door behind him and led the way across to a set of stairs that were covered in plush purple carpet. "Fred, this is-"

"Oh, I know, your owl this morning was such a surprise! You never come visit us here, Angelina! Or you, Alicia." Fred's face, which had been cheerful and relaxed, suddenly tensed up, and instead of being quiet he was talking much louder than necessary. He held a finger to his lips and gave them a meaningful look before gesturing them up the stairs. "Honestly, I don't know if either of you've actually been here before, even, because we always come see you. Here, take a look upstairs while I go have a word with George. He'll be thrilled to see you two again. We'll be closing for lunch in fifteen minutes or so, and we'll be able to talk then."

Ginny nodded mutely before continuing up the stairs, Ellie on her heels. Ginny opened a door at the top, let Ellie through, and slammed it shut before putting her head in her hands. "This can't be good… Something had Fred really scared. Why didn't he want anyone to know who we were?"

"Ginny, is that you?" asked a whispering voice A tall black woman with braids all over her head walked into the small hall they were in. Another woman, considerably shorter and with tan skin, soon followed her. They both looked to be about the same age as Fred. "It is! It's been a while!"

"Angelina, Alicia!" Ginny ran down the hall to embrace the two girls, also whispering. Ellie followed her hesitantly. "What are you two doing here?"

"We just popped in for a visit about fifteen minutes ago, and your brothers invited us to lunch." The second girl smiled brightly at Ellie. "I don't know your name, but hello!"

"Hello. I'm Ellie Mason. It's nice to meet you."

"Sir, you can't come up here! This our private residence, and you said that you just needed to check the shop!" A loud voice that could have been Fred drifted from the storeroom down below, and Ginny, Angelina, and Alicia all tensed once more. "I must insist that you get back into the main store at once."

"That's George," whispered Ginny to Ellie. "We have to hide, now."

"Right. In here, if you would." The black woman led the two younger girls into the room from whence she had just come. She whipped out a wand and waved it at the sofa, causing it to levitate away from the wall. "Alicia?"

The other girl drew her own wand as another, rougher voice shouted up the stairs. "I can do what I want to, Weasley. I'm with the Ministry, so unless you want me to drop some information about your dear father that may or may not be true, you need to move."

By this time Alicia had managed to open a secret door behind the couch. "Hurry up, you two! That monster will be here any second!"

"Is that a threat, _sir?!_" asked George indignantly.

Ellie nodded and crawled through the small door as quietly as she could and sat down. Ginny had a little trouble getting inside, wincing as she cracked the top of her head on the doorway as she crawled through. Alicia shut the door behind them, and it was suddenly pitch black. Meanwhile, the man with the rough voice was shouting again. "Yeah, I'd say it is. Now move unless you want your entire family thrown into Azkaban!"

The soft thump of the couch falling back to the floor on the other side of the wall was masked by the sound of the door to the twins' apartment being thrown open. Ellie heard Angelina and Alicia walk into the hallway as heavy footsteps came towards them. "What? Who are you?"

"I… Uh… I'm Avery. That's all you need to know." Ellie took in a sharp breath.

_Avery! That's the Robert impersonator! Ow!_ For Ginny had just elbowed her in the side, reminding her not to make any noise.

"What are you doing in here?"

"I'm looking for one, maybe two fugitives. Ellie Mason and possibly an unnamed girl. We've received intelligence that they have been seeing the owners of this shop quite frequently, and we believe that one of the owners is… dating Miss Mason."

Ellie felt Ginny shift next to her and shake with silent laughter. Angelina and Alicia, however, both gasped loudly. "Which one?! Which one is cheating?!"

"I- I beg pardon?" Avery took another step, as if he was stepping away from the two women.

"Is it Fred or George? If it's Fred, you don't have to worry about her ever coming back here, because I'll make him dump her, the bloody runaround!" Angelina was quite a good actress, and Alicia seemed to be just as adept.

"And the same goes for George! I can't believe that one of them is cheating on us, Angelina!"

"I know!'

"Just the same, I need to take a look around up here, just to make sure the Mason girl isn't hiding somewhere."

"Oh, by all means, take a look around, and if she's here I'll-"

"_I_ will take her straight to Azkaban, where she belongs, and unfortunately your boyfriends will come, as well. However, I don't know if I have the authority to take them in if the girls aren't in here." Avery began stomping around the apartment, and Angelina and Alicia's softer footsteps followed him. After five minutes full of crashes, bangs, and many loud expletives, Avery's footsteps finally disappeared back down the stairs, and Ellie and Ginny both heaved sighs of relief.

"So, did you find anything?" George's loud voice echoed up through the floor boards, still sounding as indignant as it had earlier.

"I found your girlfriends, and they aren't too happy with you and your brother." Avery sounded very frustrated, and Ellie grinned smugly. "Other than that, there was nothing of interest."

"Well, then, I think that you need to leave," said Fred. "We're closing for lunch, and if Angelina and Alicia are upset with us then we prefer to be yelled at without company. I'll show you out."

"No, Fred, I'll show him out."

"Oh, but George, I insist!"

"No, no, you can go and spend time with our ladies before I get up there. I'm willing to sacrifice at least that much for my dear brother." George sounded rather gleeful as a pair of footsteps came upstairs. Ellie heard the sounds of the couch taking flight once more as the door closed, and Fred whispered something as Alicia opened the trapdoor once more.

"Ellie, how dare you make eyes at one of our 'boyfriends?'" whispered Alicia harshly, although she was grinning.

"Yes, really, I don't know how on earth a girl so nice as you could end up going for sloppy seconds!" Angelina wasn't even trying to pretend that she was angry; rather, she was nearly doubled over with all but silent laughter as she held the couch aloft. "What are we going to do with you? Not that we're actually dating them, but…" At these last words a twinge of regret passed over her face, as if she didn't want them to be true.

"Oh, dear, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!" Ellie joined the quiet laughter as she crawled out behind Ginny. Fred joined them in the living room just as Angelina replaced the couch, and he grabbed the darker girl's hands and pulled her close to him, a completely serious expression playing across his face.

"I'm so sorry that I cheated on you, Angelina, darling," he whispered. "I won't do it again, I swear."

"You had better not, my sweet, or I will leave and never return!" Angelina mimicked his serious expression, and Fred didn't hesitate to surprise everyone by bending Angelina over and kissing her passionately. Ellie, Ginny, and Alicia all giggled as the kiss deepened, and when Fred finally let Angelina stand straight again both of them were breathing heavily but grinning. "Then again, with kisses like that I might come back no matter what!"

Fred laughed barked with laughter. "Well, maybe I should give them to you more often."

Ellie was in the process of trying to figure out if Fred had been kidding or not when George entered the room, his eyes blazing with anger. "That filthy Death Eater had no right to do that! I don't care if he works for the Ministry or not, nobody threatens my family like that. If the Ministry wasn't as corrupt as it is right now-"

"Then Avery wouldn't even work there," finished Alicia calmly, crossing to him and placing an arm around his shoulders. "I'm just worried about how they knew Ellie was coming here. Thank goodness you showed Angelina and I the secret room last time we were here, or else they would have been caught red-handed."

"Yeah, no kidding." Ginny plopped down on the couch, heaving a heavy sigh. "So, what's up with him, anyhow? How did he know Ellie was here?"

"I have no idea." Ellie sat next to her, trying to keep her thoughts under reign. _I'm sure that he was the Robert impersonator._

"Oh, yeah, I nearly forgot! Ellie, why did you gasp so loudly when Avery came up here? You nearly gave us away," said Ginny, staring hard at her friend.

"I know him. At least, I kind of know him," she added quickly, for everyone had gaped at her as soon as the words came out. "He very nearly caught me on another planet, because he had used some potion or something to disguise himself as my best friend. If he hadn't thought that Robert and I were dating, he probably would have been successful in his capture." Ellie smiled sadly. "I've decided that Robert is dead, and Avery and his Death Eater friends probably realize that, so they dropped the act and just started following me."

"Ellie, what potion did he use? Do you remember?" Fred sat down on a puffy armchair and pulled Angelina into his lap as he spoke. George and Alicia mirrored them in another armchair while Ellie scrunched her forehead in thought.

"Polyjuice, maybe? I also remember him saying that Lucius Malfoy was the one who collected some hairs from Robert and they used them in the potion. Why?"

The others exchanged a glance before looking back at Ellie. "Ellie, there's one piece of good news, then. Robert can't have been dead when Avery found you," said Ginny. "The Polyjuice Potion only works when the person you are turning into is still alive. For all we know, Robert is still perfectly fine."

Ellie averted her eyes and nodded. As much as she would have liked to believe her friend, she also couldn't let herself hope that he would be coming back to her at any moment, as whole as he was before everything started. _I can't believe it, because the moment I do is the moment we find out that he's dead._

"So, why are you two alone, anyhow?" asked George.

"Yeah, when Lupin spoke to us this morning it sounded as though he and Tonks were going to be your guards for the day," said Fred.

"Lupin is buying everyone's supplies with Neville and Luna. Tonks was with us, but she disguised herself as Ellie to distract a Death Eater. She said that she'd send us a message if something goes wrong." Ginny yawned and stretched. "I wish I had had another hour or two of sleep before Dobby woke us."

Ellie nodded her agreement before pulling her wand out and turning it over in her hand. It was a rich, reddish shade of brown and shone gently in the light from the overhead lamps as the others began talking bout the whereabouts of the others. _That guy in the shop said something about using my parents' wands as guides to my own… I wonder if Mother's wand looked anything like this?_ She absentmindedly twirled it between two of her fingers, and a gust of air so powerful that it caused the flame of the lamps to nearly go out shot from the end of it. Fred looked over Angelina's shoulder and grinned at her.

"Looks like you have a bit of a feisty wand there, Ellie. You just got it today, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Well, as long as you don't pull a Hermione and start doing magic three and four years above you from the get go…" George smiled kindly.

"Actually, that's exactly what's going to happen. She has to play catch up and learn as many defensive spells and jinxes as she can," said Ginny. She stretched once more before standing up and looking down at Ellie. "Might as well get started right now. McGonagall told me that I'm going to be the one teaching you outside of the classroom, and since we're both here and not doing anything… I think I'll try the Patronus Charm."

"Ginny, don't you think that's a wee bit of over confidence?" Alicia smiled her gentle smile towards the young teacher. "It took Angelina and I an entire year of practice to get it, and we were in the seventh year."

"Yeah. I remember Lupin telling us about them in DADA, and he said that it was nearly impossible for somebody to conjure one before their OWL's," added Angelina. "I mean, Harry obviously proved him wrong by doing it his third year and teaching a lot of others who were in younger grades, but to expect someone who has never performed magic before to learn it…"

"But, her family-"

"What is a Patronus, anyhow?" Ellie looked around the room. "I honestly have no idea what any of you are talking about."

"Allow us!" Fred and George pulled seemingly identical wands from their robes and held them towards the center of the room. Looking at the women perched on their laps, they shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" The tips of their wands glowed white, and twin monkeys emerged from them, glowing with the same light. Ellie clapped her hands together in delight as they danced around the room for a few moments before the twins lowered their wands, causing the Patroni to disappear. "The charm creates a sort of guard, a protector against Dementors.

"That was so cool!" Ellie looked down at her wand before giving Ginny a dubious look. "It _did_ look like some really good magic, though… Maybe we should start smaller."

"What happens if you get attacked by Dementors, then? I doubt that your Keyblade will help against them!" Ginny glared around the room. "I think she can do it. For one thing, she's a part of one of the strongest wizarding families in history, the Dumbledores, _and_ little Malfoy had an interesting story for us yesterday evening. During the attack on Radiant Garden, apparently Ellie had a surge of magic that sent the Death Eaters holding her flying. He said that her hair started glowing white and that the magic was so strong that he could literally feel it radiating from her," she explained. Looking around at everyone, she smiled. "Don't you see? If she had that kind of power without a wand, what is she going to be able to do with a wand? The Patronus Charm should be no problem."

Ellie nodded slightly, remembering the event Ginny had just described. "I felt like I could have done anything, because if I didn't get away from those two monsters Draco wouldn't have had a cover story to help Hope out. I _had_ to do it, and I think that it gave me that kind of power."

"What? Your hair glowed white?" Angelina raised her brow. "Since when does hair change color like that?"

"Since now, apparently." Ellie tugged on the section of her bangs that had turned green. "I can't do it by will, but it does change."

"Ellie, think about Robert," said Ginny eagerly. "Think about how much you care about him, and…"

Ellie never heard the rest of Ginny's sentence. At the mention of Robert's name, her mind had gone into overdrive. Memories poured through her like waves, punctured with spasms of joy and agony. She only came out of her reverie when someone placed a warm hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. Blinking several times, she realized that tears were streaming down her cheeks, her bottom lip was trembling slightly, and Ginny was staring at her in horror. "Oh no…" Ellie turned to look at the others, who were also staring at her with worry gleaming in their eyes. She quickly wiped her eyes and smiled shakily. "Sorry about that. It's just…"

"You don't need to go into detail, Ellie," said Fred.

"I think you've gone through enough pain with that particular jaunt down memory lane. Besides, you've proven that your hair does change colors," said George. Ellie pulled out her bangs and examined them; the streak was now a dark, purplish navy. Even as she looked at it, the green that normally resided there began stealing back its territory.

"Oh, Ellie, I'm so sorry. I didn't think it would be that bad…" Ginny smiled sadly. "Well, you should get that thought out of your head, because the main idea behind the Patronus Charm is to think a really happy thought."

"What do you mean?"

Ginny shook her head. "I'm not really any good at this, am I? Oh, dear…"

"Good at what, Ginny?" A soft voice made Ellie spin around. A man with a wavy, dusty brown head of hair streaked with gray stood in the doorway, looking exhausted. He had the air of one who had aged far too quickly for his age, and judging from the old scar running the length of his left cheek and the depth of the wrinkles his life hadn't been an easy one. His eyes looked weary, and he needed a shave.

"Teaching." Ginny sounded as if she knew the man well. "Professor McGonagall told me to teach Ellie some magic outside of the classroom, and I want to teach her the Patronus Charm. Would you care to help?"

"Of course." The man smiled at the confused expression on Ellie's face. "It's me, Remus. The Polyjuice I was using wore off just as I got in here, so you're seeing the real me . Neville and Luna will be up in a moment, Luna wanted to point out some of the more useful merchandise. The supplies are all in the back room, if that's alright."

"It's fine," said Fred.

Lupin smiled slightly. "Now, Ellie, think of the happiest memory you have. It doesn't have to be real, necessarily, but it does have to fill you up with happiness. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I guess," she answered.

"Concentrate on that memory." Ellie closed her eyes and tried to think of something happy. After a few seconds of soul searching, the memory that had returned on the world of darkness made a return appearance. Robert was tickling her ruthlessly, and the two of them were laughing hysterically. Ellie felt her lips curl into a grin at the thought, even though she had just been crying about him a few minutes ago. "Now, open your eyes, raise your wand, and repeat after me. Expecto Patronum!"

Ellie raised her wand, still watching the memory play out in her mind's eye, and said the incantation. "Expecto Patronum!"

She knew it had worked before the words had fully escaped her lips. She felt a great rush of power, and she twirled her wand without really thinking. A bright, glowing creature jumped from the end of it, diving and flipping around the room gracefully before it turned and stared at its creator. Ellie grinned at the dolphin as everyone around her gasped. "A dolphin!"

"That's really good, Ellie." Luna drifted through the doorway and smiled brightly at her. "I am surprised that you managed to create them on the first try. You must be very powerful."

"No kidding! It took me much longer to learn it." Neville grinned happily. "Good job!"

"I don't agree." Lupin drew his own wand and pointed it directly at Ellie, who gasped in astonishment. "What is your full name, who is your mother, and how tall was she?"

"What?" said Ellie. "Why would you need to know-"

"Answer me!" Lupin squeezed his wand tightly, causing sparks to shoot from the end of it, and she gaped silently. "Do you know the answers or not?!"

"Remus, what are you-" Lupin threw a sharp look at Neville, who swallowed nervously and fell silent.

"My name is Elizabeth Clarice Mason, Mother's name is Rebecca Marie Swallow Mason, and she is 5'2, as both my grandmother and I are." Ellie looked at Lupin as his face flooded with relief and he took a step back. "What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, I had to make sure that you were really you. I was not expecting you to learn that charm so quickly, so I believed that you might be in disguise." Lupin shook his head, his long hair swinging gently. "First things first. I assume Dora has gone to find some food?"

"Actually, we were waiting for all of you to get here," said Fred. "Tonks hasn't shown yet, so we-"

"What?!" Lupin was instantly standing straight, turning a burning gaze onto the Weasley twin. "Where is she?"

"I have a Death Eater who loves to stalk me, and he was skulking around when we were on our way here. Tonks was worried that he would see me even though I had a hat on, so she disguised herself as me to distract him," said Ellie. "She said she would send a message if she needed help, and we haven't gotten anything."

"She never should have left!" Lupin, who was looking so bad that he could have collapsed on the spot, put a hand over his eyes and groaned loudly. "This is exactly what I was afraid of! The Death Eaters were probably put on high alert as soon as we walked into Gringotts, they probably know that their number two target is running around Diagon Alley, and they are going to go to any ends to get you, Ellie! Tonks could be dead by now, or worse, she could be-"

"Standing right behind you?" Once again, the room turned their heads to the doorway to see Tonks peering around Neville, looking slightly flushed but smug. She had returned to looking like the bushy-eyebrowed, large-nosed girl from earlier in the day. "Remus, I promise you that I am just fine. That Muggle had no way to contact his friends, and by the time I transformed again and left him in the dust we were so far into Knockturn Alley that he may have a hard time getting out with all of his toenails intact."

Everyone but Lupin smiled at that, but the older man merely glowered at his fiancé. "Dora, why on earth did you leave these two?"

Before Tonks could answer, Ginny stepped in between them, her expression so fierce that Lupin leaned back slightly. Ellie saw Fred and George exchange a brief look filled with glee and wariness, and she scooted over on the couch to get away from the fiery girl. "You listen here, Professor Lupin! I don't care if I'm only sixteen, you cannot deny that I was one of the best Defense students you had in my year. If more Death Eaters had suddenly popped up and attacked, I would have been able to hold them off long enough for Ellie to get out, and that's if you forget that Keyblade that she's supposed to kick butt with. Besides, if Tonks hadn't led that Porter away he would have seen the real Ellie and come over and attacked her again, in the middle of Diagon Alley. Would that have made you happy?"

"Ginny, you don't understand, this wasn't just about you and your abilities. This has to do with me and Tonks."

"I don't understand?!" Ginny tossed her head in sarcastic laughter. "Oh, please, don't even try that! You don't think I know what it's like to have someone you love in danger?"

Lupin turned slightly pink. "My situation is slightly different, Ginny. Dora and I are very, very much in love, and I am not sure that you have experienced the level of emotion that comes with that."

"Oops…" Fred grinned wickedly.

"Not sure that was what you wanted to say, Remus." George's grin was just as foreboding as Fred's.

Luna and Neville cautiously passed by Ginny and Lupin to sit next to Ellie on the couch. Tonks propped herself in the doorway, frowning slightly. Angelina and Alicia both shifted slightly to watch the argument better. Lupin's face was still pink, but his expression was devoid of any true emotion. Ginny brushed her hair out of her face, and Ellie noticed that her ears were quite red, far darker than they had been in the morning. "What did you say?"

"In short, I said that you do not know what the love Dora and I have is like."

Ginny took a deep breath and exhaled, and Ellie tensed slightly. Neville swallowed deeply to her right, and Luna's dreamy gleam had faded from her eyes. "How _dare_ you say that, Remus?! You don't have a clue about what I have experienced, what emotions I've been through! You and Tonks didn't even meet until two years ago! I have been in love for five years, Lupin, six if you count the first time I saw him and dreamed about him for a full year without knowing him!" Tears were streaming down Ginny's face, but Ellie couldn't tell if they were tears of anger, anguish, or just a jumble of emotions.

"With whom, may I ask, are you in love with?"

"Harry Potter, of course." Ginny, whose eyes were still streaming, took another angry step towards Lupin. "I love him, I've loved him for years! We only went out for a few months, I know, but I still love him, and I know that he still loves me. Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I think the most-wanted man at the Ministry of Death Eaters is in slightly more danger than Tonks was walking down the street, being stalked by a stupid Muggle." She was now standing nose to nose with him, or would have been if she were taller. "And that's only Harry. My brother Ron, who I love just as much as the rest of my family, and one of my best friends, Hermione, who I love as much as Harry and Ron, just in a different way, are with him, and they've gone off to another planet and I don't know how to talk to them and I probably won't even know if they get h-hurt or k-k-killed or- or-" Ginny couldn't complete her sentence, but broke off and stumbled onto the arm of the couch by Luna. "Lupin, you can see Tonks any time that you want, you're supposed to get married soon, but I may not ever see Harry, Ron, and Hermione again, and you think that _you_ have the right to tell _me _what worrying about your loved ones is like?!"

Nobody spoke for what seemed like an eternity as Ginny sobbed. Finally, Luna put an arm around her weeping friend and smiled. "Ginny, I know that you love Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and we do too, though not quite in the same way that you do. However, you still have Neville, Ellie, and myself to be with, and if I recall what Harry wrote in the letter last night, he and Ellie will probably cross paths quite a bit. You won't be alone."

Ginny looked at her with tear-filled eyes. "But Luna, what if something happens to them? What if one of them is defeated by the Death Eaters and I never got to say goodbye properly? I am crazy with worry for them!"

"We all are, Gin," said Neville. He stood up and walked to her other side, crouching beside her and putting his arm around her. "We're all worried about them. Sitting around and crying about those worries isn't going to accomplish anything, though. We have to do everything here that we can. We have to help them stop V-" Neville paused, closed his eyes, and took a shuddering breath. "Voldemort."

Ginny sniffled slightly before nodding in agreement. "You're right. Both of you, you're absolutely right. We have to help them fight."

There was a silence in the room after that. Fred finally coughed and grinned. "So… Who's hungry? Accio, lunch trays!"

There was a whooshing sound, and Tonks had to duck as several platters of sandwiches and crisps flew into the living room, landing in a neat row in front of Fred and Angelina. Neville caught Ellie's amazed expression and laughed. "Accio. It's the Summoning Charm, and it's kind of obvious what it does."

"Cool!" Ellie pointed her wand at a sandwich and said, "Accio, sandwich!" The top sandwich twitched slightly in her direction, but nothing came flying at her. "Accio, sandwich!" The sandwich trembled, but still didn't fly at her. Ellie took a deep breath, stared at the sandwich, and pointed her wand directly at the center of it, completely oblivious to the watchful stares of her new friends. "Accio, sandwich!"

The sandwich finally obeyed the command. However, it obeyed so quickly that the words had barely come from her mouth before the sandwich hit her in the face. As everyone laughed, Ellie peeled the tomato and turkey from her cheek with disgust. Luna placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't feel bad, Ellie. You'll get it right eventually. Just practice."

Ellie nodded and piled the sandwich back together as the group tore into their luncheon.

* * *

Khgirl08: Yeah, well, that's it. I know it's a little shorter than my previous chapter, but I just felt that this would be the best place to end it. I hope you enjoyed it!

Ellie: Click the review button! Clickclickclickclick! You know you want to... ^_^

Khgirl08: Ignore her, I think she had too many cupcakes. Anyhoo, I am currently searching for a beta reader. If you would be interested in the position, please send me a PM ASAP. Of course, you can PM me anyhow, because I love talking to people, but I really do need an editor. Until next time... HAPPY READING! =)


	10. An Attack and the Aftermath

Khgirl08: Yay! I'm back!

Ellie: And she doesn't own it. Yes, yes, we _are_ aware of this. Please, continue reading. =) Our reviewers were:

Danielle, TimelordEmoPhoenix, and Namiko

…and they all get Khgirl08's mom's cookies. These are not any ordinary cookies, mind. ^.^ Enjoy!

Khgirl08... Alrighty…

* * *

After an eventful and oddly entertaining lunch above the shop (during Neville turned into a canary and molted several times, Tonks began squealing like a piglet, and Alicia's hair turned bright pink, striped with neon orange and lime green), the four students departed with Tonks and Lupin once more. Tonks and Ginny tried several times to sneak into Quality Quidditch Supplies, to the amusement of Luna, Neville, and Ellie and the disgruntlement of Lupin, but the middle-aged man finally managed to shepherd the group into the Apothecary, where it was much quieter. He had transformed once again into the smelly, dirty man, and Tonks had turned into an older woman, with graying frizzed hair.

"Honestly, Dory, we're supposed to be their guard!"

Tonks smiled at him cheekily. "I was guarding them. I just want to guard them inside Quality Quidditch Supplies, that's all."

Lupin gave her an exasperated look before turning back to the others, who stifled their giggles under his stare. "Right. We came in here to get some refills, but I think Ellie should pick up her own cauldron and starter kit."

"Er…" Ellie looked around at the others in bemusement. "What is all of this stuff for, again?"

"Potions class, of course!" Ginny grinned at her. "You have the same schedule as I do, which means you're taking Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and Potions," she said. Looking around furtively, she dropped her voice to a whisper. "Of course, you're going to have a tough go of it, not having studied anything at the O.W.L. levels. I got through all mine just fine, only I barely scraped by in History of Magic and Divination, so McGonagall wants me to help you out."

_I'm still a little nervous about this…_ "Alright. Help me pick a cauldron, anyone?"

"I will. Daddy recently did an exposé on certain brands, proving that they didn't work as well they should. I helped him, so I know all of the best kinds," said Luna, pulling Ellie over to the seemingly endless rows of cauldrons. Luna hemmed and hawed over all sorts of cauldrons, from ones big enough that Ellie could have sat in them to a few small enough that she could barely fit her hand into them, cauldrons made of solid gold, silver, brass, and what appeared to be diamond, cauldrons that were self-heating and self-stirring, and a cauldron that made potions when the user said the incantation (which Ellie was sorely tempted to buy). The wide-eyed blonde finally stopped in front of a stack of shiny, pewter cauldrons and nodded vacantly. "This is the best kind."

Ellie looked back down the row; she could see at least ten other piles of identical cauldrons. "Are you sure?"

"Oh, yes. The others have bottoms that aren't thick or thin enough, or else they aren't deep enough, and sometimes the top isn't wide enough. Yes, these are definitely the best ones."

Ellie shrugged and nodded. "Alright, then, I guess I'll take one of these." She stretched as far as she could and managed to pluck the top one. They rejoined the others, who were searching through barrels of powders, hairs, and animal parts, and picked out the best ingredients.

Then it was to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Ginny, Tonks, and Luna browsed through racks and racks of robes while a bustling older woman slung set of robes over Ellie's head and began pinning them to fit her. Lupin and Neville opted to stand outside the shop and keep watch. "So, dear, first time at Hogwarts?"

"Yes."

"You must be excited to join your older sister. What was her name? Ginny?"

Ellie nodded slightly. "Weasley, and she's my distant cousin, not my sister."

"Oh, I see." Madam Malkin took a step back and sighed in satisfaction. "That's that, then. I'll have these all ready in a quarter of an hour. Why don't you look at some dress robes while you wait?" Ellie stepped off of the pedestal on which she had been fitted and took the robes off, trying unsuccessfully to keep the pins from stabbing her.

"AAAHH!!!" A woman's scream pierced the air outside of the shop, followed by a series of short blasts. Ellie dashed to the front of the shop, only to scream herself. More than twenty Death Eaters were firing spells at random, apparently not caring who or what they destroyed in the process.

"Clarice!" Tonks rushed into the shop, though Ellie had noticed her leaving, grabbed Ellie by the forearm, and dragged her behind a rack of robes. "Listen to me, you can't go out there!"

"This makes no sense! How on earth did they even know I was coming to Diagon Alley today?" she asked.

"I don't know, but you must remain in here, hidden behind something so they cannot see you. We can't allow you to be captured. Do you understand?" Tonks asked, shaking Ellie slightly.

"But, I can use Pure Heart!"

"Clarice! Give me your word that you will not try to help unless you have to defend yourself! For all we know, this is just a random attack, they might not even be looking for you!"

Ellie blinked at Tonks, whose hair was beginning to tinge red, and finally sighed. "My word, but what about Ginny and Luna?"

"They're already fighting. We'll be fine, just please stay here." Tonks rushed off without another word, followed by Madam Malkin, who appeared to have stopped only long enough to relieve herself of her ample necklaces and rings.

Ellie stayed true to her word, but the shrieks and loud explosions that drifted into the shop made her itch with the temptation to help in, or at least watch, the battle. _This is insane! I should be helping them, not sitting here like a helpless child!_

There was a horrible screech of pain just then, and a menacing voice laughed loudly over it. "Well, well, looks like you're down for the count, wench. Now, unless you want to tell me where Mason is…" The voice was chillingly familiar, but Ellie was more interested in the reply.

"No! I- I don't know!" Ginny's voice cracked slightly, and she coughed harshly. It sounded as though her attacker was choking her, and Ellie shook her head in horror.

_This IS my fault! Ginny could be killed, any of them could!_ Ellie stood up and crept towards the shop entrance, taking care to stay behind displays as not to be seen. She peered over the top of the one nearest the door and almost fell over at the sight she saw. Porter was indeed choking Ginny, and her wand arm was hanging limply at her side, her wand on the ground below her. _Not him!_ Ginny chose that moment to try and kick Porter, but he simply grabbed her leg with one of his ham-sized hands and twisted it until she screamed again.

"Well, well, it seems you're a bit feisty, aren't you?" Porter leaned in closer and placed his lips next to Ginny's ear. Ellie could barely hear him over the sounds of the battle still raging around them. "I guess I'll have to resort to other tactics, then."

After Porter smacked Ginny's cheek, he set her on her feet, grabbed her arm in a death grip, and turned around to force her into the shop, Ellie squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently. _I cannot let him do this! And I have to save her wand, too… Wait! The Summoning Charm!_ She drew her wand from the side pocket of her bag and waited patiently for the door to open. The moment Porter banged inside, Ellie pointed her wand in the general direction of Ginny's and whispered, "Accio." To her astonishment and momentary elation, the wand rose and drifted into the shop at a decent clip, stopping in midair just in front of her.

"Let me go, you- Ah!" Ellie turned around and dashed to the back of the shop, where Porter was staring darkly at Ginny as one of his huge hands gripped her throat once more and the other yanked her hair.

Ellie hurriedly stowed the wands in her bag, set it on the floor, and jumped out from behind the rack of clothes. "Porter, let that poor girl go!"

Porter turned around and grinned lecherously. "Well, well, if it isn't the very girl I've been looking for! How are you today, babe? You're looking slightly less trashy, but… you'll always be my favorite little trashy girl."

Ellie threw off the comment. "What are you doing? I heard everything, but I've never seen that girl in my life! She isn't any friend of mine!"

Porter raised his brow. "Well, then, why don't you just willingly turn yourself in? Unless you want this innocent girl to get hurt? Trust me, I know how to hurt someone, and this one looks particularly fragile. You remember back on the islands… Do you want this girl to get hurt worse than your little friend Hope?"

"Shut it!" Ellie summoned Pure Heart and leaped at him. He jumped out of the way, but she anticipated his movements; she turned in mid-jump, hitting him on the head and bringing him to his knees. He started to get to his feet, but she hit him twice more, throwing him back to the ground ruthlessly.

"Stop!" Ellie and Porter looked around, but it was Ginny who cried, "Bill!"

The eldest of Ginny's brothers was standing in the shop, his wand pointing towards Porter and Ellie. "Incarcerous."

Ellie stepped away from Porter, expecting something to happen to the bald creep, but instead found ropes binding her arms to her torso and her legs together. She let out a cry of surprise as she fell over, wriggling desperately. Ginny gasped loudly. "Bill, what are you-"

"Be quiet, you stupid girl!" Bill turned his wand on his only sister as Ellie watched helplessly from the floor. "I saw you out there, hexing Death Eaters along with your precious school friends! Don't you realize that you're on the wrong side?!"

Ellie and Ginny both gasped loudly. "But, Bill, you-"

"I'm a Death Eater now, Gin. I intend to leave it that way, too, so don't try and cry me away from my decision." He kept his wand trained on his terrified sister as she struggled to sit up. "However, you've always been my favorite family member, so I'm going to give you a special offer before I go and visit the twins. Join me, Ginny, join the rest of the Purebloods, and do something good for a change. The Mudbloods and Muggles are taking us over, and that's not how it was meant to be. Not at all. I know you're close to that Granger girl, but she could easily taint our precious bloodline if we don't get her away from Ron. She is pretty, but nothing more. Kill her, Ginny, kill the Mudblood and make sure we all remain pure. What say you?"

Ginny was staring at Bill in horror. "Have you gone mad?! What are you thinking, of course I won't kill Hermione! What is wrong with you?!"

Bill sneered. "I tried, Ginny. You and I are now enemies. So be it." His lips curled into a deranged smile. "Crucio!"

Ginny's screams echoed all around the shop, drowning out all other sound. Ellie watched in sheer fright as her friend rose into the air, twisting painfully and unnaturally. Bill and Porter, who had managed to get to his feet, cackled madly at the sight. Finally, Ellie could no longer take the sight of the shrieking girl. "Stop it! Stop it, it's me you want!"

Her hair streaks and tattoo began to glow white once more, and Pure Heart rose from the floor of its own accord, also glowing slightly. Bill continued to curse Ginny, but Porter raised an eyebrow at the Keyblade, which had started to revolve. The weapon began to spin faster and faster until it began to blur in Ellie's eyes, at which point it flew at Porter and Bill, hitting both of them in the gut and knocking the latter over. Ginny crumpled onto a pile of robes and didn't make another sound. Porter cursed loudly and held out his hand. A portal of darkness, like the ones her dad and the king had used, appeared in front of it, and he stepped through it just as Pure Heart came by once more.

The sounds of battle had stopped outside, and Ellie took a deep breath. "HELP! HELP US, PLEASE!"

Lupin rushed into the shop. "Ellie?!"

"Rufus, quickly, it was Bill, he did this!" Ellie nodded to the red-haired man, who was still being attacked by Pure Heart. As she looked at it the blade stopped glowing and clattered to the floor, and Bill chuckled.

"Big mistake, girl! Stupe-"

Lupin beat Bill to the punch and waved his wand silently; Bill passed out completely, even though not a word had been said. Another wave of Lupin's wand and the ropes binding Ellie disappeared. She immediately rushed to the display table where Ginny lay and shook her roughly. "Ginny! Ginny, wake up!"

The girl stirred feebly and blinked opened her eyes for a moment. "Bill…" was all she said before she passed out again. Lupin walked to her and shook his head.

"What happened to her? She looks as though she has been tortured." Lupin looked her over for a moment longer before sighing.

"She was. Porter somehow managed to grab her by the throat and make her drop her wand, I think he broke her arm, and he forced her in here. He was still choking her, so I took over the fight for her. Bill came in just as I was about to completely knock him out and called out for us to stop, but instead of helping with Porter he tied me up." Ellie took a quick look at his unconscious form and shuddered. "He asked her to join him and the other Purebloods as Death Eaters, and then said that she had to kill Hermione, because she's a Mudblood, whatever that is. Ginny refused, so he used some sort of curse on her. She started to writhe and scream so loudly that I'm surprised you all didn't hear her. The only reason he stopped was because Pure Heart went crazy and started attacking them."

Lupin had gone extremely pale. "The Cruciatus Curse. The Bill Weasley I know would never have used the Cruciatus Curse at all, let alone on his own sister." He waved a hand over the elder Weasley, and ropes appeared around him. Another wave of his hand, without even his wand, and Bill's eyes flew open. "Bill, what is going on?!"

"Aren't you that Rufus character? Why would I tell you anything?" He winced in pain, and for the first time Ellie noticed the severe cuts on his arms and face. Lupin apparently saw them, as well, for he took a step back and shook his head.

"We'll have to get the two of them to St. Mungo's. Ellie, once I have taken Bill, go outside, find Dory, and tell her what's going on." Lupin picked up Ginny carefully and spun on his heel. Bill scowled angrily at Ellie as she picked up Pure Heart and kept it trained on him, but he didn't say another word. Lupin soon returned to take him away, and Ellie released Pure Heart, grabbed her bag, and cautiously stepped into the street. There were several bodies laying quite still, but most people in Diagon Alley were moving about or wailing in pain and fear. Ellie saw one of the twins leaning against a wall nearby, his head in his hands, and she ran up to him.

"Hey, are you alright?"

He looked up and managed a forced smile. "Yeah, fine. I'm just a little stressed."

"Stressed?" The other twin appeared out of thin air and clapped the first on the shoulder. "Fred, what do you have to be stressed about? It's a beautiful day."

Fred shrugged morosely. "I dunno, I guess…"

"What? Come on, out with it."

"It's just… I messed up my hair." Fred tossed his head, flipping his chin length hair around. "It was perfect this morning, but now… Well, look at it. It looks like I spent a couple hours taking styling lessons from Snape."

George and Ellie burst out laughing, and Fred soon joined in. When Ellie could get control of herself she looked back down the street. "Have either of you seen Tonks? The last time I saw her she was dressed up as an old lady."

George nodded. "She was down closer to Gringotts with Alicia. They were helping some first and second years find their parents, if I'm not mistaken."

"Thanks." Ellie turned to go, but Fred grabbed her arm and turned her back to them.

"Wait a second. If I remember correctly, I saw Gin-Gin get forced into that shop from which you just emerged, so I sent Bill inside to help her. I would have gone myself, but I was a bit too busy with the Death Eaters I was fighting. Why haven't they come out yet?"

Ellie hesitated. "Lupin took them to some place called St. Mungo's."

Fred and George paled. "St. Mungo's?"

"Yes, what is that place? Is it a hospital or something?"

George nodded. "It's the wizard hospital here in London, the only one in Britain at, in fact. Fred, we should go."

"Yeah." They nodded at Ellie before turning on their heels and disappearing. Ellie jogged down the street towards the bank, looking all around for someone she recognized. Finally she spotted a head of frizzy gray hair and slowed down.

"Dory!"

Tonks turned around and grinned in relief. "Oh, thank goodness! You listened to me!"

Ellie nodded. "Yeah, the battle kind of came into Madam Malkin's, so I never left." As Tonks made an exasperated noise she quickly continued talking. "Where are the others?"

"Alicia and I found Angelina sitting against a wall, bleeding quite a bit, so those two went to St. Mungo's. I was about to go looking for Neville, Luna, Ginny, the twins, and Rufus," she said. "I take it you have no idea, either?"

Ellie hesitated. "Well, Ginny, Fred, George, and Rufus are at St. Mungo's," she started. Tonks screamed in fright at the words, and Ellie hurriedly held up a hand. "Ginny's the only one who's hurt. I mean, they all had a few scrapes and scratches, but Ginny was tortured. That happened right after I got involved, because I was trying to help her. I guess I didn't do all that great of a job, though." Ellie smiled sadly.

"Well, in that case, we'll have to hurry and find Neville and Luna." Tonks whipped out her wand and said, "Expecto Patronum." A pair of silvery wolves erupted from the tip of her wand and flew down the street.

"Um…"

Tonks smiled at Ellie's confusion. "I forgot, you haven't seen that particular function of the Patronus Charm. You see, Patroni can be used to ward off Dementors and other dark creatures, but they can also be used as messengers. That takes a bit more practice, but I'm sure you'll get it soon. After all, you conjured the normal Patronus on your first try."

Ellie nodded as a familiar blonde girl rushed up to them. Luna looked slightly worse for the wear; part of her ponytail had come loose and was frizzing about her face, and she was covered in small scratches and bruises. Her eyes had lost their dreaminess once more, and it was replaced with worry, an expression that looked as if it was rarely displayed in the wide silver eyes. "Dory, I just got your messages. Neville left for St. Mungo's just a few minutes before they arrived, so you don't need to worry about him getting there."

"What's wrong with Neville?" Tonks looked around quickly and lowered her voice. "Is he alright?"

Luna shrugged solemnly. "I'm not sure. His shoulder was dislocated, and I think his arm was broken, but the Healers should be able to fix him up in a flash. He was also unconscious, and I couldn't wake him up. One of the shopkeepers brought him in, I think. Unfortunately, I stumbled across a couple people who aren't so lucky. One of them, poor chap, his hand looks like it might never be the same, and there was a woman who the Death Eaters… I don't even want to think about it." Luna's eyes flashed with worry once more. "Where are Ginny and Rufus?"

"That's why we wanted you to come here. They are also at St. Mungo's," said Tonks. "Now, you two, please take one of my arms each." As soon as Ellie and Luna were grasping her arms, Tonks turned sharply. Although she had been expecting it, Ellie was still unprepared for the compressing blanket of darkness which was suspended upon her. When she was able to see once more, her first breath came as a gasp. Several rows of chairs were filled with people whimpering in pain and moaning in agony, and more of them lined the walls. Meanwhile, a pair of doors against a far wall couldn't quite stop the noises of fear and surprise coming from behind them.

"More patients from Diagon Alley?" A blonde witch rolled her eyes at them. "The emergency ward is closed off at the moment. Apparently one of the patients is under the Imperius Curse, and they're having a hard time controlling him. Just go and wait over there or something."

Tonks didn't miss a beat. "We aren't patients. We just need to see Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom."

"They're in the emergency ward. You'll just have to wait." The blonde witch jerked her thumb to the waiting crowd, and Ellie sighed.

_This is horrible… How could I have caused so much damage, just by going school shopping?_

Tonks rolled her eyes, as well. "Fine. We'll wait, then." When the group was out of the blonde witch's earshot, Tonks whispered, "Too bad I'm in disguise, or I could have made her let us in. I am an Auror, after all."

The doors to the emergency ward opened just as they made themselves comfortable next to the wall, and an exhausted looking man in lime green robes stepped out. "We are now accepting patients. If you feel you require medical attention, please come with me."

Most of the crowd immediately flanked the man, and Ellie, Tonks, and Luna found seats easily. As the crowd of patients disappeared through the doors, two familiar faces came past them. Before Ellie could even blink, Tonks and Luna had flung themselves across the room and into the arms of Remus and Neville. Tonks was crying softly into Lupin's shoulder as he stroked her hair, and Luna was chattering away to Neville as he looked down at her with a mixture of surprise and contentment.

_Do Neville and Luna like each other? It certainly looks like it…_ Ellie finally stood up and joined the reunion, hugging both Lupin and Neville before looking between them in worry. "It was Bill, wasn't it?"

Neville merely looked at her in confusion, along with Tonks and Luna, but Lupin nodded sadly. "It was."

"What was Bill?" Tonks looked at her fiancé with incomprehension written all over her face. "Bill Weasley?"

"Yes. Bill Weasley." Lupin shook his head slowly. "It wasn't the Polyjuice Potion or some other disguise. He's definitely under the Imperius Curse."

"What?!" The cry of shock from Tonks, Neville, and Luna attracted the stares of nearly everyone left in the waiting room. Tonks shook her head violently and spoke in a whisper after a few seconds. "No. No, Bill can't be under the Imperius curse! He can't be!"

"But he is."

"That's rubbish!" Neville was also whispering, but his voice was filled with fury. "We only just saw him this morning, and he was fine!"

Lupin shook his head. "No, he wasn't. I knew something was wrong, because he took Ellie from Griphook's hands. Griphook is helping the Order, on the grounds that he gets a large portion of an treasure we acquire, and he was to tell Bill that this morning. Obviously, something had happened."

Ellie shuddered. "He could have killed me then and there. Thank goodness he couldn't get into my vault, or he would have locked me in or something."

Lupin groaned. "If I had known that he couldn't get in there, I would have taken you all straight back to Hogwarts and alerted Minerva. That vault is bewitched so allies of the family, and only true allies, people who can be trusted almost unfailingly, can get in. I have been inside several times myself. Obviously, Bill was being forced to the other side."

There was silence for a few moments before Tonks gasped loudly. "Wait, Ellie, didn't you tell me that Ginny had been tortured?!" Neville's and Luna's eyes flew to the small redhead, who nodded. "Tell us everything, please."

Ellie nodded and recounted the story. Neville and Luna, who had yet to let go of each other, clung to the other even more tightly, and Tonks was crying again. Lupin shook his head dolefully at the end and looked back towards the emergency room. "I think I should go back in there. Fred and George are about crazy with worry, and they haven't found out that Angelina is there, as well."

"I'll come with you," said Tonks. "You three, don't leave the hospital, understood?" The couple walked through the large doors, leaving Ellie, Neville, and Luna alone. Neville flexed his arm, which still bore several long scars, before turning to the stairs and sighing sadly.

"What is it, Neville?" Luna finally disengaged herself from his arms and stared at him in concern.

"It's just… I know we're here for Ginny and everything, and we don't have much time to waste once she recovers, but I… I want to go visit Mum and Dad." Neville blushed and turned away from the girls completely. "I haven't gotten to see them since the beginning of break, and since I'm here now…"

Ellie was about to ask why he would visit his parents while the three of them were supposed to stay in the hospital, but her fireside conversation with Ginny drifted back into her thoughts. _"Oh, no…" Ellie whispered. "So his parents are dead, too?"_

_Ginny shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, no. They're still alive and relatively healthy, from what Neville told us, but they're insane. They don't know anything anymore."_ Ellie placed a hand on Neville's shoulder and squeezed it slightly.

Luna also seemed to understand what was upsetting her friend, but she didn't let it bother her; rather, she took a few steps towards the stairs and grinned at him. "Come on, then. I'm sure they'll be pleased to see you, regardless of the reason you're here in the first place. Let's go."

Neville nodded, still not meeting either of their eyes, and took the lead, traveling up the portrait-covered stairs in silence. Ellie felt so many emotions rolling from her new friend that she nearly cried, yet he managed to keep his composure regardless. Luna brought up the rear, humming to herself and seemingly oblivious to the boy's pain. When they reached the fourth floor, Neville took a deep breath and opened the first door they happened upon. A bed right next to the entrance was empty, but obviously home to someone a bit messy and careless. Several broken quills were scattered on the bedside table, and dozens of posters of a smiling man plastered the wall around the bed.

"Oh, does Professor Lockhart stay here?" asked Luna. Neville nodded mutely, and she sighed. "I never liked the man. The first day of classes in my first year, he decided to tell me how horrible my father's magazine was, all because Daddy had come out with an article that his stories were fake. It turns out that he was right." Luna wrinkled her nose at the nearest poster, which winked in return.

"Come on, you two. I'll introduce you to my parents." Neville had moved to the end of the ward, which seemed to be unoccupied save the mysterious Lockhart and the curtained off section Neville had ducked into. Luna and Ellie approached it quietly, as Neville was now speaking tentatively. "Hi Mum, hi Dad."

"Oh, hello," said a light voice. "Lovely weather we're having, isn't it?"

"Oh, quite," said another voice, far deeper than the first. Ellie and Luna both walked through the curtains and stopped short. Neville was sitting in a chair in between a man and woman who were obviously his parents. Alice Longbottom was thin, but her face was still round, just like her son's. Frank's hair was exactly the same shade as Neville's, and his eyes were reminiscent of the younger man's. However, both of them looked dull and weak, and their eyes had little life left in them.

"Mum, Dad, I would like you to meet a couple of friends," said Neville shakily. He was obviously upset about Luna and Ellie seeing his parents like this. "This is Luna Lovegood, a sixth-year Ravenclaw, and Ellie Mason, a sixth-year Gryffindor." He gestured to his friends vaguely before looking down at the floor. "Luna, Ellie, meet my parents, Frank and Alice."

Ellie merely nodded shyly, but Luna bounced forward and took Alice's thin hand, smiling serenely. "Hello, Mrs. Longbottom. How are you?"

"I'm doing quite well, thank you. You know, my Neville is going to be a Gryffindor when he grows up. He's so brave." Alice's eyes were hollow and empty, even though her voice was so enthusiastic. "He and Harry are both going to find themselves as Gryffindors, you mark my words."

Ellie looked at Neville, who was still staring at the ground resignedly. _Poor thing… His parents don't even realize that he's a man now. They still think he's a baby…_

Luna grinned. "Of course he will, they both will, and they'll make lots of new friends while they're at Hogwarts."

Frank was the one who answered. "Yes, they will. By the way, did you hear about Harry Potter defeating the Dark Lord? Incredible!"

"Yes, Dad, we heard about it." Neville finally looked up; his eyes seemed hollow and his mouth was thin.

"Alice and I are going to talk to Dumbledore tomorrow, you see. He sent off little Harry to live with Muggles, but we want to keep him. After all, he is all but family to us." Frank nodded. "He and Neville are such good friends already."

Neville clenched his eyes shut and tightened his fists. Luna's eyes were slightly wider than usual as she sat on Alice's bed, and Ellie had thrown both hands over her mouth. _Neville's parents wanted to adopt Harry? Oh, my…_

"Oh, yes, I have your gift right over there," said Alice, pointing to a table beside Ellie. The slight girl picked up a plastic bag of what appeared to be gum wrappers and took them to the frail woman. "Thank you so… Oh!"

Alice had latched onto Ellie's hand with surprising strength. Her eyes, which had seemed so vacant just moments before, were now gleaming happily. Ellie tried to pull away, but the woman held on. Neville got to his feet and placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. "Mum, you have to let go of Ellie."

"Ellie? No, dear, Ellie's just a baby," said Alice. "You must be mistaken, Ellie Mason is a few months younger than my Neville, just turned a year old."

Ellie's jaw had dropped. "H-how do you know me- er, Ellie?"

"Becca, I know you and your games quite well." Alice's face shone with happiness, and her smile took up nearly half of it. "You know perfectly well that I was there when your daughter was born. You didn't bring her over much, because your Uncle Albus was worried that the Dark Lord might attack you while you were weak, but you came to Neville and Harry's birthday party, right? And you came over just a few days ago, just before Ellie's birthday."

Ellie paled. _Is this for real?! I knew Neville and Harry as a baby?!_ "Um… Of course, Alice. It's great to see you again…"

"Come here, lovey, and give me a hug." Ellie reached down and hugged Alice weakly before turning around and hugging Frank, who was grinning broadly at her and holding out his arms expectantly.

"We… We'd best be going now," said Neville shakily. He hugged both of his parents tightly, grabbed the plastic bag, and whispered something to them before leaving the curtained area as quickly as he could.

"It was nice to meet you, Alice and Frank." Luna smiled happily at the couple. "I hope we can meet again!"

"Yes, and the same goes for me," said Ellie, grinning uneasily. "Until we meet again!"

"Goodbye, dears!" Frank and Alice waved cheerily at the pair as they ducked through the curtains and left the ward, only to find Neville sitting against the wall, his head in his shaking hands.

"Neville!" Luna knelt beside her friend and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Neville, what is it? Was it Ellie?"

"Ellie got more of a reaction than I did." Neville looked up at Ellie with tear-streaked cheeks and bloodshot eyes. "I'm their son, but they almost came alive at the sight of someone they didn't even know, and they made up that story to boot-"

"Neville…" Ellie knelt beside him and Luna, tears forming in her own eyes at the sight of his pain. "Maybe they were serious."

"Serious?! Ellie, they're insane, and they thought you were some random girl named Becca! How can that be taken seriously?!" Neville was bordering on hysteria, and Ellie felt her tears begin to flow down her cheeks.

"My- my mother is Rebecca Swallow Mason, but she's been called Becca since she was born." Ellie paused to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know that she was best friends with Harry's parents, and if Harry's parents were friends with your parents, then they probably did know each other. If our parents were friends, then we probably hung out as babies a few times." Ellie smiled kindly at him. "Have they never talked much before?"

Neville gave a great sniff. "Well, they weren't talkative at all until a year ago. After Gran came in and read them a short article about my involvement in a Ministry of Magic duel, they started talking more and more. Earlier this summer was the first time that they revealed that they thought it was still 1981. But none of that explains why they were so happy to see you, Ellie. You aren't your mother."

Ellie blushed slightly. "No, but I look exactly like her. The batty old people around Maple Brook always thought that I was her, either because they couldn't see or they couldn't remember anything before the '50s." She grimaced apologetically. "I guess your parents looked at me and saw Mother."

Neville wiped his eyes hurriedly and sighed. "I know, it's just… I wish they were always like that…"

"Well, if just being around Ellie made them so bright and cheerful, why not bring back other friends of theirs?" Luna stood up and smiled dreamily. "Obviously they don't remember your Gran, and they remember you as a baby, but maybe their fellow Order members would be enough to help them."

"Yeah!" Ellie jumped to her feet and grinned broadly. "And guess who's downstairs just sitting around?"

"Lupin!" Neville leaped up and started down the stairs two at a time. By the time Ellie and Luna caught up to him, he was standing in front of the open door to the waiting room of the emergency ward.

"What are you doing sitting around here? Come on, Nev." Luna pushed her way past him and gasped. "Oh…"

"What's the matter?" Ellie squeezed around the pair, and found that it was her turn to gasp. A large section of the wall had now been covered with posters proclaiming that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were fugitives. "'Potter, Weasley, and Granger are wanted for the planning and murder of Albus Dumbledore and the attempted murder of Minister Scrimgeour on the afternoon of August 18th. Anyone who is known to be close to any of these three will be brought in for questioning immediately.' August 18th? But that's today! They couldn't have-"

"Shut up, right now." Neville clamped a hand over Ellie's mouth and pulled her back into the stairwell, shutting the door immediately. After looking up the stairs for a few moments, he released her and leaned against the wall once more, shaking in anger. "Ellie, I'm sorry, but you can't let them know that you know where they are. Look at it this way; the only two people on this entire planet who know how to get to those three are you and Professor McGonagall."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "As neither of us are prone to giving up the people who help us fight or we consider friends, I don't see the problem."

Luna spoke up, looking uncharacteristically nervous. "Ellie, there are ways to get someone to talk. Professor McGonagall is a very powerful, very experienced witch, and while you have proven you have huge stores of magic in your blood, you don't know how to block your mind. If they discovered you, the king's base could be blown wide open."

"Exactly. The only person who we should be at all worried about is Ginny. The rest of the Weasley's will be interrogated, obviously, but they weren't at school with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, nor were they romantically linked to any of them." The trio gasped as Lupin stepped out of the shadows, looking very distracted. "Tonks is with her now, but as soon as Ginny is proclaimed well enough she has to be taken to the Ministry."

"How long have you been here, Remus? You nearly gave us heart attacks!" Neville, who had jumped forward in alarm, resumed his former position against the wall.

"Just long enough to hear the three of you discussing something to do with myself, Frank, and Alice, and while I would love to be of assistance under normal circumstances, I'm afraid that right now isn't the best time. They want to interrogate the two of you, immediately." He nodded solemnly at Neville and Luna, and Neville swallowed deeply. Luna, on the other hand, smiled dreamily once more.

"It's not that bad. I expected it from the moment I saw the sign. However, maybe it will be a little easier if you Confund us, Remus. You know, make it so we're a little confused, as if we didn't know that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had even left."

Lupin protested immediately, but Neville talked over him. "It's a great idea! That way we can't let anything slip through on accident. It'll wear off eventually, so you'll have to make it a pretty strong spell."

"I-" Several sets of loud footsteps clattered towards the door, and Lupin grabbed Ellie and dragged her into the shadows underneath the staircase just before three men opened the door.

"Longbottom and Lovegood! Such a cute couple." Ellie felt Lupin raise his wand next to her and saw something ripple the back of her friends' hair like a strong gust of air as Yaxley stepped forward. She cowered behind her godfather, trying to make herself as small as possible. If that monster knew she was in the room, he wasn't showing it, but that didn't stop her from being frightened of him.

"What do you want?" Neville stood straighter and moved in front of Luna.

"Oh, relax. We aren't going to hurt you and your little lovebird. We only want to take you in for interrogation. I'm sure you've heard about Potter and company?"

"No, we had not, at least not until we saw those ridiculous posters in the lobby. And Neville and I are no more than friends. Furthermore, I will never tell you anything, you Blibbering Humdinger!" Whatever a Blibbering Humdinger was, Luna obviously meant it to be a great insult, and Yaxley certainly seemed to take it as such. His eyes narrowed and he pulled out his wand and trained it on the friends. The other two wizards did the same, and Ellie saw Neville swallow deeply.

"Hands up, and come with us. Miss Lovegood, you've just earned yourself a little bit extra _interrogation_." Yaxley circled behind Luna and grabbed her by the back of her dress, forcing her forward. When Neville grabbed for her, another one of the men cuffed him around the head and pushed him forward roughly. As soon as the third man had exited the stairwell, Ellie let out the cry she had been holding in.

"Remus, we can't let them do that! Those monsters will kill those two!"

Lupin shook his head as he stepped out from underneath the stairs. "No, they won't. Neville comes from a very respectable pure blood family, even if his parents were openly pro-Order. Luna, on the other hand, is completely innocent in their eyes, and is probably only being taken in because she was a member of Dumbledore's Army. They probably have no idea that Luna is good friends with them. If my Confundus Charms worked correctly, Luna and Neville will be under the impression that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in Australia and Florida, just like the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is claiming. They'll be fine."

"What about Ginny? Will they go so easily on her?"

Lupin shrugged uneasily. "I don't know, Ellie. In the meantime, I need to get you back to Hogwarts-"

"Hey! Bring that girl back here, Yaxley!" Lupin and Ellie jumped at the sound of Tonks' screech of fury before dashing to the door of the stairwell and peering through the window. Yaxley had a person in his arms, and Ellie's hands flew to her mouth when she saw the shower of bright red hair flowing from the person's head.

"So sorry, Auror Tonks, but they asked me to bring her in." Yaxley was grinning broadly, and his two friends were laughing heartily beside him. Neville looked horrified, while Luna looked slightly angry. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of her. The Healer in charge of her… Well, he felt the impulse to release her, so she should be perfectly capable of answering questions."

"That Weasley girl hasn't even woken up yet, and you don't even work for the Ministry!" A woman with pale skin and spikes of hair so scarlet that it matched a fire truck stormed up to him, holding her wand less than an inch from Yaxley's nose. "I will not allow the three of you to take these children anywhere!"

"Au contraire, Nymphadora. You know quite well that my two friends are also Aurors, albeit rather new Aurors, so they have just as much authority to take these kids to the inquires as you do." Yaxley was now laughing, as well. "And if you so much as hit me with a spark, I will have them throw you in Azkaban for assault."

"You- you!" Tonks was now shaking so hard with anger that she couldn't keep her wand still. She took a step back and glared at the greasy man. "I will be filing an official report on this, it's preposterous!"

"Stick to your job, Nymphadora." The man holding Luna finally spoke up. "This has nothing to do with you."

"I was assigned to watch that girl while she was in recovery, she was tortured earlier today! She's obviously not fully recovered from it, so leave her alone!"

"Auror Tonks, you are already being watched. I suggest you take a step back and let us do our jobs, unless you want to end up like this poor child." Yaxley grinned menacingly at her before Disapparating, his friends going with them. Neville's eyes met Ellie's for a split second before he was taken, and they were full of fear.

"Well!" The man in bright green robes from earlier shook his head disdainfully. "Leave it to the Ministry of Magic to think they have the right to do whatever they please with just the flash of a badge. I never signed Miss Weasley's release forms, and she was obviously in no condition to be interrogated. And before they pulled that particular shenanigan, they waltzed on in and took her brothers, one of whom had just come back to his right mind." He sighed loudly before going back through the swinging double doors, and Tonks collapsed into a chair, her head in her hands.

"Dora?" Lupin opened the door and crossed the room in two seconds flat, kneeling in front of his fiancé and taking her hands in his. "Will you be alright?"

"I couldn't stop them, Rufus." Tonks eyes were unnaturally bright when she looked up at Remus and Ellie, who had followed Lupin to her side. "They just swept in and took her, and I couldn't do a single thing about it. Not to mention the Longbottom and Lovegood kids."

_Why is she talking like she doesn't know them?_ Ellie was about to question Tonks' choice of names, but Lupin stood and pulled Tonks to her feet before she could ask.

"Let's get you and Clarice back home." Lupin took Ellie by the elbow and turned on his heel; after a few seconds of unexpected Apparation, she landed in front of Hogwarts' gates with a loud huff.

"Could you please warn me next time?!" She turned to glare at her godfather, only to see his skin bubbling and his face transforming. When he stood up straight, his hair was dusty brown and wavy once more, and he looked far more handsome than his homeless alter ego. "Oh… I guess you realized you were about to transform again?"

"Exactly." Both of them whirled around at the sound of Tonks showing up behind them, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"How could they?! How could they go that far?!" The Auror let out a wail of anguish and collapsed against one of the stone pillars of the entrance, sobbing. Her hair turned a rather ugly shade of brown and lengthened slightly, flopping lifelessly around her shoulders. "They're going to hurt her, I know it! They couldn't care less that she was nearly killed by her older brother, they are going to continue to torture her until they get some sort of information out of her!"

"Remus!" Professor McGonagall was suddenly part of the group, looking harried and angry. "What are all of you doing out here, you were supposed to Floo back!"

"We didn't have time, Minerva." Remus shrugged. "When Diagon Alley was attacked-"

"_EXCUSE ME?!?!_" McGonagall's voice was so shrill that Ellie, Tonks, and Lupin jumped and put their hands over their ears. "What attack?!"

"You haven't heard, then?" Tonks stood up and wiped her eyes on her arm. "The Death Eaters took it by storm this afternoon, at least thirty seven of them according to the Ministry. They destroyed several shops and managed to injure several people severely. I don't know if there were any deaths, but there were definitely permanent repercussions. Neville and Ginny were both injured, so we took them to St. Mungo's, and then we saw those posters…"

"How badly are they hurt?" McGonagall seemed to have recovered from her shock and was looking more stern than ever. "And why would the Death Eaters choose today of all days to stage an attack?"

"It was Bill Weasley, it had to be." Lupin looked at the ground as he spoke. "Someone placed him under the Imperius Curse, and when we went to the bank-"

"No! Oh, that will kill Molly and Arthur…" Minerva shook her head in despair. "I assume that he escaped?"

"No, he didn't," said Ellie, finally speaking up. "This Death Eater who keeps attacking me, Porter, caught Ginny during the battle and was trying to force her to give away my location. Tonks wouldn't let me fight, so I was inside Madame Malkin's shop, and Porter brought her in there to try and squeeze the information out of her. I fought him with Pure Heart until Bill came in and told us to stop. When I did, he tied me up and tried to get Ginny to join the Death Eaters. He told her that she should kill Hermione, because she's a Mudblood. I don't even know what that is, but Ginny got really angry, so he started torturing her. I couldn't stand it, and I somehow managed to summon Pure Heart and make it attack Porter and Bill without touching it. Remus found us shortly after Porter escaped and took Ginny and Bill to the hospital."

McGonagall's hands were covering her mouth, her eyes wide. Remus nodded at her expression. "I know how you feel, Minerva. Ginny and Bill have always had that special connection that I just can't put my finger on, but he was forced to torture her."

"He wanted to die when he found out what he had done." Tonks sniffled slightly. "As soon as he managed to snap out of the Imperius Curse he burst into the ward she was in and threw his arms around her, sobbing. I don't believe I've ever seen Bill cry, even when he found out that his face was permanently mangled he just laughed, but he certainly cried today. When Yaxley and company came in to collect him, I thought they were going to have to duel him."

"Collect Bill? _Yaxley?_" Professor McGonagall raised one eyebrow. "Why would you let Cyrith Yaxley take him anywhere?"

"He is working for the Ministry at the moment, collecting people who are known to be close to Harry, Ron, and Hermione." Remus clenched his fists. "That's the worst part. They took Bill, Fred, and George in for questioning at first, then came back for Neville, Luna, and Ginny. Neville had suffered a broken arm during the battle, but he was fine when they took him in, and Luna hadn't been hurt at all. Ginny, on the other hand, was still unconscious from her encounter with Bill and had yet to be released by a Healer. That _monster_ wouldn't listen to reason and just took her anyhow, even though Dora here tried to stop him."

"Speaking of the Ministry, I'd best be getting back to work. I'm officially still on the job, and I'm sure somebody will have mentioned that I wasn't there during the battle, even though I was." Tonks grimaced. "You'll get my report later today, Minerva. If I see Fred and George while I'm at the Ministry, I'll tell them to send the bags of school supplies by Floo. I'll talk to you all later." With a quick kiss on Lupin's cheeks, Tonks turned on her heel and Disapparated.

Ellie looked at her godfather in confusion. "Wait, how come you aren't going in for interrogation? And you, Professor McGonagall? Aren't you both known to be close to the trio?"

"I have just come from my interrogation," said McGonagall, straightening her spectacles. "As far as the Ministry knows, however, my relationship with Harry, Ron, and Hermione is simply that of a teacher and her students. They only asked me in because I am their Head of House, and they only questioned me for about fifteen minutes, just trying to pin down some information on their personalities. I was as vague as possible, and they let me out relatively soon after."

"As for me, many people only believe that I knew the three of them for one year, while I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts here at Hogwarts. They know that I was friendly with Harry's parents, but they have no way of knowing how deep my friendship with Harry, Ron, and Hermione runs." Lupin smiled slightly. "Besides, I'm a werewolf. If they asked me in for interrogation, they would somehow find a way to arrest me and throw me in Azkaban. There is no way that I would run to help them out."

Ellie nodded solemnly. _This isn't how I wanted my first day to go…_

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Khgirl08: That's it for now! Review, review, review, and happy reading! =D


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